


The Leaves of Change

by pokeshipper4life



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Adventure, F/M, Gen, Romance, Years Later, pokeshipping - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-28
Updated: 2016-01-02
Packaged: 2018-05-09 21:16:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 71,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5555639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pokeshipper4life/pseuds/pokeshipper4life
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been twelve years since Misty first pulled Ash out of the water. When Ash comes home unexpectedly, it's up to Misty to lift him out of his new depressed state. Will she be able to do it in time, or will he give up on Pokemon training forever? Come join our heroes on this  adventure of love, loss, and Pokemon. Rated M for Adult Content.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Twelve Years Later

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

It had been eight years since Misty took over for her sisters at the gym. Daisy, Violet, and Lily were back; however, they had decided to spend more time on their synchronized swimming careers, leaving Misty alone to handle the gym duties. She had become a skilled water Pokémon trainer, but something still felt missing.

The sun was rising when Misty began her morning routine. She would take an hour long swim for a warm-up, in order to keep her body in shape. Over the years, she had out-grown her tomboyish figure. At first, it had freaked her out, especially since it started the year in her sisters' absence. It took a lot of adjustment to all of her new curves. A few years later, Misty finally grew into her confidence. She wore make-up when she wasn't working in the gym; she had let her hair grow out; she had begun wearing more feminine outfits.

After her morning workout routine, she sat down to a relaxing breakfast. Eggs, toast, and orange juice were in front of her on the table. She was about to take a bite of her toast when she heard the doorbell ring.

 _"Who could it be this early?"_ Misty thought.

Sighing, she got on her feet, abandoning her breakfast. The doorbell rang with such urgency as she made the long walk downstairs to the front door. At this point, whoever was there probably woke up everyone—human and Pokémon—in the gym.

"I'm coming. I'm coming," she shouted as she approached the door.

She peered into the peephole, and she was surprised to see Tracey standing on the other side. It was common for Tracey to come visit at times, especially when there was a new water Pokémon at the gym to sketch. However, he was rarely here before noon. Something was up.

"Tracey, what are you doing here?" Misty asked as she opened the door.

"I have some news."

 

"What do you, like, mean you're going away?" asked Daisy.

Misty was unlocking her bicycle when her sister had posed the question. Tracey had left almost as soon as he arrived. He needed to run an errand for Professor Oak, and Cerulean City was on the way. Otherwise, he would have called.

"It's only for a few days. I'm sure you can handle the gym for that long. There are three of you, after all."

"But, like, Misty, you're so much better at it than us."

"Daisy," sighed Misty. "I don't ask for much around here. If you need anything, I'll be at Ash's house."

She started to cycle away from the gym when Daisy's words stopped her.

"So, like, is he back then? Is that it?"

Misty paused, placing her foot on the ground before looking back at her sister. A small blush crept upon her face.

"Are you going to, like, tell him this time? Or are you just going to keep it all to yourself like you have been for years?"

"It's not like that!" exclaimed Misty, her voice raising an octave. "We're best friends. That's all."

"Don't wait until it's like too late. I don't want to like see you get hurt or anything."

"Whatever, Daisy. I'll see you in a few days."


	2. Return to Pallet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

The sun was setting on the horizon by the time Misty had reached Pallet Town. It was late summer—mid-August to be exact—and the days were getting shorter. Soon, the fall would settle in, and things at the gym would slow down for the winter. It would have been better for Ash to come home in a month or two from now, but what could Misty do?

She pedaled through the quiet town, people settling in their homes for the night. She passed Professor Oak's lab, smiling as she remembered the last time she was there. She made a point to go visit while she was here. It would be nice to see Professor Oak and his granddaughter Daisy. Perhaps Gary would be there, too. Once had had matured a bit, Gary and Misty had grown to be friends. It made her a bit sad to think that she had seen Gary more often in the past few years than Ash.

Misty finally arrived at the familiar house of Delia and Ash Ketchum. The lights were on, so she knew that someone was home. Hopping off of her bike, she noticed that not much had changed. The vegetables in Mrs. Ketchum's garden were ripe. And the area was rich in color from the tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and summer squash. Misty wondered if part of the reason Mrs. Ketchum spent so much time there was to distract herself from her son's frequent absence.

There were butterflies in Misty's stomach as she pressed the doorbell. It had been a long time since she had seen her childhood friend, and she was nervous. Would he look different? Would he be taller? Her heart skipped a beat as the door opened, but her nerves settled down when she saw it was only Mrs. Ketchum.

"Hi, Misty. How are you, dear?"

"I'm okay, Mrs. Ketchum. Tracey said that Ash came home. Is he in—"

"Pikachupi!"

Pikachu came from across the sitting room and leapt into Misty's arms. The yellow mouse was happy to see its old friend. Misty was happy to see Pikachu, too.

"Hi there, Pikachu," she said, giving the Pokémon a squeeze.

"Do you want to come in, Misty? You're welcome to join us for dinner. It's just about ready."

"Thanks, Mrs. Ketchum. Dinner sounds great."

It had been a few years since Misty had been in the house, but like the outside, the inside had not changed. The sitting room was small, with the stairs toward the back. There was a small couch in the center, behind an old coffee table. There were pictures on the wall, most of them of Ash. The older pictures had the three of them: Ash and his parents. These pictures were all that Misty had ever seen of Ash's father. She had never known what had happened to him. Ash never talked about his father, and Misty had always been too timid to ask.

On one of the mantelpieces, there was the picture that they had taken that day they were in the Orange Island Archipelago. Professor Oak and Mrs. Ketchum had joined the three of them for the photo. She stopped to take a long look at this photo. How long had it been since this photo was taken? Had it really been twelve years? Misty was twenty-two now, and a lot had changed since she was ten. She was taller than Ash back then, and the last time she had seen him, he had surpassed her in height. Looking at this photo, it felt like she was studying another life, separate from her own.

"Ash! Dinner is ready! Come on downstairs!" Mrs. Ketchum called.

"I'm not hungry, Mom!" Ash called back, his voice deeper and richer than Misty had been accustomed to hearing.

"But, Ash!" his mother continued. "You have a friend here for you! Come down, please."

"Tell whoever it is that I'm sorry! I'm not in the mood to see anyone!"

Ash's words pierced through Misty's heart like an arrow. He did not want to see her. She had come all this way, and waited all this time to see him once more. He was slipping away from her; she felt it. Perhaps Daisy had been right. She had waited too long to tell him how she felt. Maybe it had been so long that they were not even friends anymore. It would devastate her if that happened.

"Why don't you bring him up a tray?" Mrs. Ketchum said to Misty, smiling. "He might get hungry later. It's strange. He's been moody like this ever since he got home a few days ago, but he won't tell me what's wrong. Maybe he'll talk to you. It's worth a try."

"Uh sure thing…" replied Misty.

A few minutes later, Misty carried the tray of food up the stairs, Pikachu perched on her shoulder. The butterflies in her stomach would not calm down, so the savory aroma of the food made it even worse—she wished her body would relax. They had been friends for years, and yes, Misty would admit that she did have a small crush on Ash when they were kids; however, it had been years. Misty had changed a lot, and maybe Ash had too. She had barely seen him, so maybe she would have a hard time loving the person he had become.

The house was very small, so it took her no time to reach the door leading to his bedroom. There were many nights spent in this house, especially when Ash was training for the Pokémon League the first time. Misty remembered that sometimes she and Ash would stay up late and talk. Misty told Ash more than anyone else, including Brock or her sisters. He was her best friend, and she missed him. Taking a deep breath, Misty knocked on the door before entering.

Ash was on his bed, lying on his stomach. Even though he was not upright, Misty could tell that he had grown several inches, making him tower over her by now. The bed barely even fit him anymore. He was still lean, his small muscles now defined on his body. The jet-black hair was the same—messy. He was wearing jeans and an old dark green T-shirt. Some things never changed. He wasn't looking when Misty came into the room.

"Mom, I told you. I don't want anything to eat. Would you please leav—Oh," Ash said, turning his head to face Misty.

There was an awkward pause between them. Ash was not expecting Misty to be here in his room. Seeing her in that moment made him feel guilty. He hadn't called Misty in several months or even sent a letter. He wouldn't have blamed her if she was mad at him for that. He wondered why she was here when he had been such a terrible friend. He had gone through a lot in the past few weeks, and she was the best person to talk to about this when he was ready. He had been too ashamed to call her, however.

"Hi Misty," he said, sitting up as she put the tray down on his desk. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you." She said, not sure if he wanted her here or not. "Tracey said that you came home. So here I am."

Ash took a moment to drink all of the changes in Misty in front of him. She was no longer the scrawny girl he knew from his childhood. She was also no longer the awkward teenager he remembered from the last time he saw her. Her hair was much longer, billowing down her back with locks of rich orange. She was a few inches taller than when they were kids, but she seemed to stop growing since the last time he saw her. Her face was more heart-shaped, losing a lot of its former roundness. Her eyes were the same—aqua. They seemed to pull him in, and when she gave him a sheepish smile, he felt entranced by her newly found beauty. Although he knew he should have been happy to see his best friend, this sadness hung over him like a cloud, and it hadn't gone away in weeks. The sight of Misty made him happy, but only for a fleeting moment.

"I figured that out," he remarked. "I meant why do you still want to see me? I haven't been keeping in touch with you like I should have been. I'm surprised that you're not mad at me. You should be."

"Yeah, I know," she said, taking a seat next to him on the bed. "I'm just glad you're okay. I was getting a bit worried, you know. I didn't know when I would get the next opportunity to see you and…I missed you."

She shifted in her seat, and Ash caught a whiff of her scent. The salty smell of the ocean pervaded his nose, mixed with the scents of sunscreen and wild flowers. He had missed her too. She was the friend that had always been there for him, no matter what. She had been there for him even when he lost to Richie in the Indigo League. He had been such a brat to her too, and yet, she still wanted to travel with him. He should have called her in those recent months. It would be easier to tell her what was wrong if he had done so. He had gotten all caught up in it all, neglecting his friendship with her. To tell her the reason why he hadn't been calling—well she'd be mad at him for sure.

"So," Misty continued, after waiting in silence for a minute with no reply. "Your mom says that you've seemed depressed ever since you've gotten home. What's the matter Ash?"

"Nothing," he lied.

"Hmm…" she said, tapping her forefinger against her chin, clearly in thought. "How about we have a Pokémon battle? If I win, then you tell me what's been going on. If I lose, I promise I won't pry anymore."

"No thanks, Mist. I'm not in the mood to battle."

"Ash Ketchum not wanting to have a Pokémon battle? Are you sick or something?" she asked, leaning forward, and putting her hand against his forehead. He could feel the heat rising on his face at her touch. His cheeks began to flush. Even though he was now an adult, he had a hard time keeping his emotions in check. Now that he had begun to notice the opposite sex, Misty was very distracting in front of him.

"No, no fever. Something must be wrong if you don't want to battle me. I thought the Kalos League tournament wasn't for another few months. Don't tell me I missed it? Did you lose early on? Is that it? I haven't seen you this down since you lost to Ritchie."

"No…it hasn't happened yet. I have all the badges to qualify, but I don't know if I really want to train Pokémon so much right now."

"Ash, your dream has been to become a Pokémon master since we were ten."

"Well," he responded bitterly. "Some things change."

Misty was confused. This was why he was home now? Did he really just become tired of training Pokémon and not becoming a Pokémon master? It wasn't like Ash to give up so easily. There had to be more to this story than that. There was something Ash wasn't telling her, but what exactly was it? Why wouldn't he tell her?

"I'll find some way of cheering you up, mister. I told my sisters that I would be gone for a few days, so you're stuck with me. Have you gone to see Professor Oak and your Pokémon yet?"

"Well…not really, no."

"That's what we're doing tomorrow. No excuses. Now come downstairs and have dinner with your mother who is clearly worried about you."

"Pikapi, chu pi-pika," Pikachu said, seeming to be in agreement.

Ash knew that there was no use arguing with Misty about this. To be honest, she still had the power to intimidate him, so he gave her what she wanted. Misty marched out of the room, Pikachu at her heels. Although Ash still felt rather depressed, having Misty here was oddly comforting. Ash wondered if it could possibly be nostalgia he was feeling or another emotion that was unknown to him. He stood up from his bed, his mood a little lighter before her arrival. Taking the tray back downstairs, he went to join his mother and his best friend.


	3. A Wild Engagement Appears!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

"Misty! I'm so glad you're here!" screamed Daisy.

It was early the next morning, and Ash and Misty were at Professor Oak's lab. Daisy had been the one to open the door, and she hadn't changed at all. The brunette was tall like her brother, but she was the nicer of the two. There was an Eevee down at her heels, meaning that Gary was here too. Misty was happy to have them here. For one thing, it had been a long time since she had seen both of them. Also, she hoped that Ash would cheer up if some friends surrounded him.

Ash was very quiet at dinner Misty had noted. Mrs. Ketchum had tried her best to keep the conversation light, asking Misty about anything new. The majority of the time had been spent talking about the Cerulean gym, her sisters, and when Ash had gone to bed, stating that he was tired, the couple of men with whom Misty had gone on dates, but nothing ever came of them.

"Guess what, Misty!" said Daisy, unable to contain her enthusiasm. "I got engaged!"

"What?" said Ash and Misty in unison.

"Who asked you?" asked Misty.

"Tracy asked me last week," Daisy said, putting her hand into their faces to show off a gold ring with a solitaire diamond in the center.

Even though they were not aware that Daisy and Tracy were dating, Ash and Misty were not surprised that the person whom Tracey chose to marry was the granddaughter of "the great Professor Oak." Other than Misty, Daisy was the only woman Tracey saw frequently. Spending so much time together for all of those years must have worked its magic on those two. Being older than him, Ash wondered why Tracey had not done this sooner. The thought of a wedding left a pang in his heart, causing him to think of the source of his unhappiness. He dwelled on this, even as Daisy invited the two inside.

"So when is the wedding?" Misty asked as she and Ash entered the lab.

"Oh, we haven't set the date, yet," Daisy replied. "We are having an engagement party in a couple of weeks. Misty, will you still be around? We'd love it if you could attend. You too, Ash, of course."

"Well, I told my sisters that I was only going to be gone for a few days, but I could come back or something."

"Oh good. Make sure that you have something nice to wear. It's going to be formal. I'll let Grandpa know you're here. He's out back."

Daisy walked down the small hallway, leading to the backfields. Misty and Ash stood together, somewhat awkwardly, for a few moments. They were unsure of what to say to each other. Breakfast had been eaten in relative silence. Ash still would not reveal the source of his depression to Misty. She wanted to know, but she thought it best to let him come to her on his own. It was Ash who was the first to break the ice.

"You don't have to come back, you know."

"Huh?"

"I mean," Ash started, realizing how it had just sounded. "You don't have to leave and come back. You could take a few weeks off from the gym. Your sisters could handle it, couldn't they? I mean they did run the gym when we were kids. Come stay with us. Mom would love it."

"I don't know, Ash. The gym is pretty important."

"Please," he pleaded. "It would mean a lot. I've missed you."

That had done it. He had told her something that had caught her in his net. She had missed him as well, more than he probably knew. She never thought that he would miss her as well. How could she possibly say no to that?

"Okay, fine." She resigned, knowing her sisters would have her head for this.

Ash cracked the first smile she had seen since she arrived in Pallet Town. It warmed her heart to see him somewhat happy. Her thoughts were a bit lost as she started to take in his face. He had grown into a handsome young man, much like the one in the Ketchum family pictures. Her eyes transfixed on his lips—lips that she wanted to press against her own. She imagined how blissful that would be.

"Earth to Misty!"

"Huh?" she said, breaking out of her trance.

Daisy was standing in front of her, waving her arms to capture Misty's attention. Ash was nowhere to be seen. Where did he go? How long had she been daydreaming like that? Several minutes must have past. Daisy smiled once she finally had gotten Misty's attention.

"Daydreaming about Ash again, are we?"

"No, of course not," Misty replied, a blush creeping up on her face.

"Uh huh. Sure," Daisy said, not believing her for a second. "Let's go upstairs for some tea while Ash is outside with Grandpa. I want to do some catching up with you."

 

"So his mother says he's been depressed since he got back? Well that's…unusual," Daisy said as she placed the teapot in the middle of the table.

The sitting room at Professor Oak's lap was gorgeous. The room was large and inviting. There was a small kitchenette in the corner, a table in the middle, and a couch with a television on the opposite side. It was up on the top floor, and was surrounded by glass windows, giving the perfect view of the grounds. Misty watched Ash and Professor Oak taking a walk around, meeting all of Ash's Pokémon along the way. The two seemed to be deep in conversation about something, perhaps why Ash was feeling so low. He could tell Professor Oak, but not Misty? She felt a little hurt by this.

"…Yeah," said Misty, turning her attention back to her friend. "I've never seen him this unhappy, except when he lost in the Indigo League. Do you know what it could possibly be?"

"Well, if he were a normal guy," Daisy started, "I would say that it's a girl problem. However, this is Ash we are talking about here. He wouldn't notice a girl if her boobs smacked him in the face."

"He only sees his Pokémon," Misty replied. "That's what worries me. Last night, he told me that he didn't feel like training anymore. I don't know what's wrong with him."

"Well we are adults now, so I guess it's possible that it is a girl. I would think that he would at least tell my brother or Tracey about it, but I haven't heard anything of the sort."

"Where is Tracey, anyway? I want to congratulate him. Come to think of it, he didn't mention anything to me when I saw him yesterday morning."

"Oh that was my doing," Daisy said. "I knew you would come running as soon as you knew Ash was home. I told Tracey not to tell you because I wanted to do it myself. Anyway, he's still on that errand for Grandpa. He should be back no later than tomorrow."

"How does your grandfather feel about you marrying Tracey?"

"Oh, he couldn't be happier for us. My brother on the other hand is another story."

"He doesn't approve or something?" Misty asked.

"Not exactly. He's been moaning that he's too young to become an uncle like I'm already pregnant or something."

"Are you?"

"No, of course not," said Daisy. "But I told him, 'Who says that I even want kids?'"

"Oh well," said Misty. "If you don't want kids, then that's perfectly fine. It's your life, and that's none of your brother's business or anyone else's."

"Oh I do want kids. I was just making a point to him. Tracey and I are having a bunch of kids, and they are going to have the greatest play place of all. We need to get Ash back to Pokemon training. That way he can catch more for my future kids to play with."

"You have a one-track mind," sighed Misty.

"So do you," retorted Daisy. "I bet you would like a bunch of kids with someone."

"Well not right now. I'm kind of young for that."

"I see wedding bells in your future," said Daisy.

"I'm not exactly seeing anyone right now…so that's probably not going to happen."

"One of these days, he is going to smarten up, you know."

"Who? Ash?"

"What about me?"

The two girls turned to see Ash standing in the doorway, looking back at them curiously. Pikachu was not with him, probably still outside playing with the other Pokemon. Misty felt a bit panicked at the sight of Ash, concerned about how much of their conversation he had heard. Misty was hoping that he would have stayed outside longer because she knew that her conversation with Daisy would eventually turn to her best friend. Misty did not have too long to dwell on this anxiety because Gary had popped up behind Ash, looking smug as usual.

"Looking fine, Red! I swear you get hotter every time I see you," Gary said as he came into the sitting room, shoving Ash out of the way.

Gary Oak had grown into a handsome young man. Misty had to admit that she might have considered him as a potential boyfriend if it weren't the fact that his personality could still use some work, and that she had always had a thing for Ash. He hadn't changed his hairstyle in years, sticking with the same spiky hair he had as a child. The young Pokemon researcher was wearing a dark green polo along with his khaki pants and brown loafers. He strode up to Misty, smirking, knowing that his comment would illicit a snarky response from the redhead.

"Don't you have some other girls to hit on," said Misty.

"I missed you, too, Red."

"Yeah, whatever. What do you want Gary?"

"Can't I say hello to one of my closest friends? Are your sisters giving you a hard time again? Is that why you are so crabby?"

Ash stood there watching Gary and Misty tease each other, realizing how close they must have gotten over the past few years. He had no excuse for being lax on his friendship with Misty. It should have been him joking around with her, not Gary. It had been a long time since Ash had experienced jealousy concerning Misty, not since they had traveled in the Orange Islands. She was his friend, sure, but why did he feel this way? He went up to the two of them, miffed.

"What's the big idea, Gary?" he growled.

"Oh sorry, Ashy-boy. Does it bother you that I'm talking to your girlfriend here?"

Gary was never the type to be oblivious, the antithesis of Ash. He knew what he was saying, expressing the elephant in the room. He knew the history that these two had. Misty had always loved Ash, even through the other casual boyfriends she had. Gary knew that Ash needed that little nudge, a little push here and there. It had been twelve years, yet the two were still dancing around their feelings. Gary knew that they needed to get it together.

"So Red," he said with a sly look. "I'm guessing that you heard about my sister's engagement."

"Uh yeah," she said, mildly confused. "What about it?"

"Need a date for the party? 'Cause ya know. _I'm_ still available."

Misty was taken aback by his proposition. He never suggested anything like that in the past. She wondered if it was because Ash was there. Was he trying to get a rise out of him then? Or was he seriously interested in her?

"No, I'm good," she said, waving her hands.

"Ah, so you already have one then?"

"No, I just thought that you'd want to go with Green. Don't you have the hots for her?"

"Ah, you caught me. Yeah, I'm going with her. I was curious what you would say though. I guess that was a 'Sorry, Gary, but you're not my type,' huh?"

"You should have known that by now. It's not like I've never had a boyfriend or anything."

Ash had put on the TV to distract him from their conversation. He sat on the couch watching a news report on a swarm of Poochyena just up the road on Route One. Ash was tempted to leave to go catch one in order to avoid Gary and Misty's discussion. He could not understand why it seemed to make him uncomfortable. Daisy had noticed Ash, and did her best to divert the conversation by overwhelming the other two with getting a head start on planning her and Tracey's wedding. Ash was grateful to one of his oldest friends and intended to return the favor one day.

Ash and Misty spent the rest of the day at Professor Oak's. Tracey had arrived shortly before the two left to go home. They congratulated him, and he jokingly asked when they were going to get hitched. The two responded with flushed faces and nervous laughter. It was a short walk home, and Ash had barely uttered two words to Misty since he had joined her and Daisy. He would have said more to her, but Gary had gotten in the way. There was still something weighing on his mind, however.

"So are you going to find a date for the party?" he asked her as they traveled to his house.

"Oh, I don't know," she said, taken aback by his question. "Why do you ask?"

"Well I thought we would be going together—as you know—friends, but if you want to find a date, I don't mind. It's whatever you decide."

"There's no one at the moment that I would ask, so going together as friends would be fine to me," she replied with a smile.

"Hey…Misty."

"Yeah?"

"Have you had a lot of boyfriends?"

"Huh? Why do you ask?"

Ash had never taken an interest in her love life. He was always so busy training his Pokemon that he rarely called or saw Misty. When they did speak, it was always about his journey or what was new at the gym. She knew that he would never outgrow training his Pokemon, but growing into a young man may have created other foci in his life besides Pokemon.

"That doesn't answer my question."

"Well," she said, unsure how much she was willing to tell him. "I've been on plenty of dates, and I have had a couple of more serious boyfriends, but right now I'm not seeing anyone."

"So you've obviously experienced a break-up before right?"

"Sort of, I guess. They were mutual for the most part. What brought all of this on?"

"Nothing. I was curious. You didn't tell me about any of them. I thought best friends told each other everything."

"You never asked. You were busy with your Pokemon all the time. It's not a bad thing. We've lived different lives since we were kids. It didn't bother me though, and I thought you had more important things to worry about than my love life."

"I'm sorry. Now I feel so self-centered. I should have paid more attention to you when we were younger."

"Don't worry about it. You can make it up to me by telling me what's been getting you down though."

"I don't know, Mist. I'm not ready to talk about it with you yet."

The conversation fell silent as they approached the house. The two could smell his mom's cooking. Ash's stomach grumbled, causing a giggle to erupt from Misty's throat. He smiled back at her sheepishly.

"I guess some things never change," she teased.

"Yeah," he said. "Last one to the house does dishes?"

"You're on!" retorted Misty before sprinting to the house with Ash and Pikachu at her heels.


	4. Shopping for Answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

Misty had spent the next few weeks at the Ketchum household. She and Ash filled their days with various activities together. Mrs. Ketchum kept them busy by spending them on errands. One day, she had sent them to the Xanadu Nursery. It hadn't changed much in the past decade, except for the increase in Glooms and Vileplumes.

Ash enjoyed Misty's company, but he missed the days where he would travel around with Misty and Brock. Back then, all he cared about was Pokémon and didn't have to handle all of the emotions creating a storm inside his brain. Ash considered giving Brock a call to see what he's been doing. He knew that a certain subject would come up, so he thought it would be best to do it when Misty wasn't around to overhear.

Fortunately for Ash, the engagement party was a couple of days away, so his mom and Misty were taking a day trip to go shopping. He would talk to Brock when they were gone. Misty had wanted to treat Pikachu to something, so Ash agreed to let his Pokémon tag along. This meant that he would be completely alone.

"Are you going to be all right by yourself?" asked Misty, concern present in her eyes.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," replied Ash. "There's plenty on TV to watch if I get bored."

"Okay. You have my cell phone number if you need anything. Don't hesitate to call or text."

"I won't."

"We'll be back later tonight, dear," his mother said.

"Come on, Pikachu."

"Pika!"

The Pokémon leapt into Misty's arms, and she took one more look at Ash before heading out the door. There was a pause, and then tension between them. He was still in a T-shirt and pajama pants. Noticing her, he gazed back and ran his fingers through his hair nervously, causing it to become ruffled and messier than usual. Misty's breath caught in her throat. She muttered something inaudible, her cheeks slightly red, before rushing out the door. Ash stared at the closed-door for a moment longer, puzzled by her behavior.

Misty took a deep breath as soon as she exited the house. For years she had kept her attraction to Ash Ketchum at bay, buried deep in her heart. Being with him for the past few weeks, the longest amount of time she'd seen him in years, had shifted her emotions up to the surface. There had been a few moments where she wanted to grab him and kiss him, but she made sure to keep herself in check.

Last week, they had gone fishing one afternoon. Fatigued, Misty had leaned against Ash as they sat with their fishing poles on the banks of the river—the same river where they had met. He hadn't said anything in protest, and her heart had fluttered from the moment. Even though her sister had warned her, Misty was falling in love with him once more. She was not quite sure what to do about it. Things had been simpler when they were kids.

 

"What do you think about this one, dear?" Delia asked Misty.

They were inside a small dress shop in downtown Viridian. The place was extremely cramped with more casual dresses and evening gowns than the space should allow. Misty was sitting on one of two small ottomans in the shop. Delia was holding out a long, dark green gown for her to see, but she was too deep in thought to notice.

"Misty?"

"Huh?" she said, finally paying attention. "Sorry, it's okay. I might like something else."

"Is something bothering you? I thought you wanted to go out."

"Well," Misty hesitated, unsure of how much she was willing to reveal. "I was thinking about Ash. He hasn't told me what's been going on with him. I mean—he does seem to be better than when I first go here, but there are times where I look at him, and he seems so sad. I hate seeing him like that."

"It's difficult loving a Ketchum, isn't it?"

"I-I never said that," Misty stammered, her face turning crimson.

"You are talking to someone who fell in love with a Ketchum. I can tell that you love him. You have always, haven't you?"

"Yeah, but he'd never love me the way that he loves Pokémon. Growing up, he didn't notice me. Why would that ever change?"

"You'd be surprised," Delia replied. "Ash is like his father in a few ways—the sense of adventure and the desire to become a Pokémon Master. There are ways in which they are different. Ash has never forgotten about you over the years. I have not heard from Ash's father in years. I don't know if he is alive. It is lonely being the wife of a Pokémon trainer. My son grew up with his father being absent most of his life. I think that the day he falls in love, truly in love, it will be it for him. His dream is to be a Pokémon Master, but I believe part of the reason is that he might find his father along the way. Ash wouldn't abandon you because he's been on the other side. I would love it if he were to choose to be with you. I could think of no one better to take care of my boy."

Misty was embarrassed by the praise that Delia was giving her. She did not know that Ash's mother felt so strongly about their relationship. It was comforting to know that she would have his mother's approval if it came down to it. Unfortunately, it was not his mother that would make that choice. It was Ash's choice. Misty wondered if that would happen, for it had been over a decade, and neither her nor Ash had ever tried to initiate a romantic relationship.

Ash had rarely mentioned his father, only once when prompted by Misty to talk about him. He did not sound happy to converse about the subject, so she refrained from discussing it further. All of the information Delia provided was new, and it equipped her with a better understanding of Ash's personality, especially below his carefree surface. Misty's parents died when she was very young, so she had relied on her sisters more than she cared to admit. She was robbed of time with them as well as Ash had with his father, but the difference was that her parents did not decide to leave her and her sisters—fate had other plans. For him, it was his father's choice.

For the first time, she considered revealing the truth to Ash—that she had loved him from the very start. Would it be better to hand her heart to him to have him break it or to keep it locked away forever? She knew that she would have no chance at happiness if she kept her desires locked away. Even if she were rejected, at least it would give her the opportunity to start moving on from him and stop wondering what if.

"I'm not sure what to say…" Misty finally said, following a long pause.

"I knew what I was doing when I married him. Sadly, he could not handle the domestic life for too long. I know it would be different for you two. Go for it, dear. It would be lovely to see you together and happy rather than miserable apart."

"There's a lot to consider. I wouldn't want to ruin my friendship with him. To lose my best friend would be devastating. I don't know…"

"I'm not saying to rush into anything, especially since you haven't seen each other for a long time. Just something to think about, that's all," said Delia.

"Pi-pikachu!"

"Not you too, Pikachu."

"Cha!"

 

After several hours of walking from shop to shop, they had found something to Misty's liking. Perpetually tied to her tomboy-roots, she was the pickiest person in regards to formal wear. Although she would deplore admitting it, she knew that when the time came for her own wedding, her sisters would be doing most of the planning. She knew that they would pounce on the opportunity once it came. It was a wonder that none of them were married yet, but her sisters seemed to be focused on their careers first and would rather have lots of admirers than committed relationships. Having husbands could bring a decline in their fans, most of which were men seeking their affections.

Before returning to Pallet Town, the two women and Pokémon stopped by a quaint café for a quick lunch. Their shopping done, the two settled down for a nice meal to relax after an exhausting morning. They sat outside at a circular table with an umbrella covering them, their bags tucked underneath. Misty could see the Pokémon Center in the distance. Pikachu was nestled in a chair between Misty and Delia, tremendously content. As a welcome home present. Misty had purchased a bottle of ketchup for the electric rodent, remembering its fondness for the condiment. Pikachu was happily licking the tip of the opened bottle while the others awaited their meals. Misty heard a loud buzzing coming from her bag. Realizing that it must be a text message, she quickly rummaged through it to retrieve her phone. She opened the message and saw that it was from Ash.

**when r u getting back? its boring here alone**

Misty smirked, knowing that she had been right. Her fingers moved feverishly as she typed a response.

_I thought that you were going to watch TV._

His response came almost instantaneously, as if he had the phone in his hands, anxiously waiting for her to reply.

**Theres nothin on 2 watch**

_Don't say that I didn't tell you so…and can you type normally? No one texts like that anymore._

**no**

Misty rolled her eyes before replying once more, disenchanted by his attempt at being funny.

_You're so stubborn._

**not as much as u r**

She huffed at his text. She was not that stubborn, at least not anymore. Maturing as a woman and a Gym Leader had taught her how to compromise, most of the time. He had the tendency to bring out the worst in her, an effect that continued despite the years apart.

_Take that back, jerk._

**relax mist it was only a joke…so when r u comin home?**

_As soon as your mother and I finish lunch, we'll leave. Hold your Horseas._

**oh good. i need 2 talk 2 u bout sumthin important**

This alarmed Misty. Ash had done his best to keep all of their conversations simple and light-hearted. What could be that important now? Was he ready to tell her the source of his sadness? She could not wait, needing to have the knowledge.

_What do you need to talk to me about? Is it serious?_

**i'll tell ya when u get here. hurry bak. miss u**

It took a few hours apart to miss her. This was the first time that she acknowledged how important she had the potential to be to him. She faltered, uncertain what to say to him. Should she tell him right here? Would he freak out? Controlled by her fear, she sent back a safe message.

_Yes, sir…P.S. I miss you, too._

"Who was that?" Delia asked as Misty tucked her phone back into her bag. Their food had arrived while she had been texting Ash. Misty's sandwich sat before her, but the Butterfrees inside of her would not calm, ruining her appetite for the moment.

"It was Ash."

"Oh what did he want?" his mother asked before taking a bite of her meal.

"Not much. He wondered when we were getting back."

"Ah, he's as impatient as ever."

"Yeah…he said that there was something important he wanted to tell me. Has he said anything to you?"

"Of course not, dear. My son doesn't tell me anything."

Misty sat there pondering Ash's motives, watching Pikachu devour its ketchup. Seeing the Pokémon gave Misty an idea. Pikachu has always been with Ash no matter the situation. The electric mouse had to know what was going on. She was doubtful that she might get somewhere, but it was worth a try.

"Hey, Pikachu?" she asked, timidly, astounded that she was going to ask a Pokémon for relationship advice, so to speak.

"Pi?"

"Do you know why Ash is acting weirdly lately, by any chance?"

"Chu!" exclaimed the Pokémon, nodding its head.

"Well what happened?"

Misty and Delia spent several minutes trying to decipher Pikachu's explanation. The two women struggled to comprehend the small Pokémon as it tried to pantomime Ash's predicament. Neither of them could decide what Pikachu was trying to say as he pranced around on the table, batting his eyes. Misty thought that someone ought to invent a translator for Pokémon because this was hopeless.

After paying for their meal, the collected their things, and headed back to Pallet Town. Pikachu gave Misty a pat on the head in sympathy, to which she returned the gesture by plucking the Pokémon off her shoulders and giving it a rub behind the ears. Pikachu squealed in delight, bringing a smile on the young woman's face. She was not angry or disappointed with Pikachu. As they approached Pallet Town in Delia's car, Misty prayed that he would confide in her, unlike in the previous weeks. If he did that, maybe she would confess her affection for him. She would know what to decide once she rejoined her best friend, but for now, she would enjoy the view as it passed her.


	5. The Start of Something New

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

A couple days later, it was the eve of the party. Misty was anxious for a few reasons. This would be the first time she would be going to a formal party with Ash. There had been many in the past for the Pokémon League, so she was accustomed to a formal setting. The difference was that Ash was going to be there, and made her nervous because it brought about the prospect of impressing him. Her sisters were arriving tomorrow afternoon for the party as well, and Misty knew that they would insist on giving her a makeover for it. She had endured years of being their doll before going off her own, and she cringed at the thought of them pinning her down to do her hair and make-up. She was an adult and could do it for herself if she wanted.

It was late, and Misty was lying in Ash's bed, unable to sleep. Her best friend remained on the floor in his old, beat-up sleeping bag. The summer night was warm and humid, and he was sleeping shirtless with only a pair of boxers. Misty had to keep herself from staring from his well-defined abdominal muscles. If someone had told her years ago that her best friend on whom she had a slight crush would grow up to be so attractive, she would have questioned that person's mental state. Ash was oblivious to her penetrating gaze, snoring obnoxiously. When it came to sleep, he could give his Snorlax a run for its money. She, on the other hand, could never pass out with her mind racing.

She had yet to tell him the truth about her romantic feelings, and she was unsure of how to go about it. Ash had almost told her about his secret, although this was only speculation on Misty's behalf. He was nervous when he had begun talking to her in this very room. However, his cowardice took over, and he told her that he had nothing to wear at the party. This was his dilemma, he told her, but she did not believe him. Irritated, she retorted by yelling at him that he should have told her that while they were in Viridian. They could have picked a suit up for him. Delia, upon hearing the commotion upstairs, came in to fix the situation. Luckily, for Ash at least, there was an old suit of his father's tucked away in a closet. His mother determined that the two were about the same size; therefore, it would all be fine.

Her insomnia getting to her, Misty decided to go downstairs to see what was on the television. She started to crawl out of bed, but her foot caught in the sheet. She struggled to untangle herself, but lost her balance, falling out of the bed, directly on top of Ash.

He woke abruptly to see Misty's face inches away from his own. There were a few seconds of silence before his brain registered that she was on him. He could sense the weight of her small body on top his own. Moving his hand to rub his eyes, he accidentally brushed against her side, causing her to tense. She sat upright, straddling him on his hips. She pushed her hands against his bare chest while steadying her body. His abs felt toned under the gentle pressure that her fingers were putting on them. Ash sat upright, steadying himself behind him with his arms, coming a couple of inches from her face. She could feel his warm breath as she sat there, her eyes locked with his. His gaze was intense, penetrating her heart. Oh how she wanted him! She would have given anything to kiss him in that moment, to melt into him.

"Pikapi, Pikachu!"

The two diverted their attention to the Pokémon. Misty's fall had waken up Pikachu, who had laid on Ash's pillow for the night. He made his presence known by snapping at them angrily, sparks flying out of his cheeks. Ash and Misty remained in their current position as they watched Pikachu hop off the bed, dashing out the door and around the corner. It was likely that he was going to spend the rest of the night in Delia's room, grateful for the quiet. They returned their attention to the situation, both parties experiencing their heartbeats quickening. Ash was blushing slightly, and the girl on top of him briskly followed suit.

"Is it morning, already?" Ash asked, smirking at Misty's scarlet face.

"No," she breathed. "Ash, I—"

"Yeah?" he asked, warmth shining in his beautiful brown eyes.

"Never mind," she said, suddenly terrified of her emotions.

She lifted off of Ash, onto the floor next to him. She sat with her legs tucked under her, on the end of his sleeping bag. Mirroring his movements, he sat up as well; however he did so with his legs crossed. He leaned forward with a curious expression before suppressing a yawn, keeping his eyes on Misty. Her hair was disheveled and her bra strap was showing, coming out from underneath her tank top. It was reminiscent of the past where he would see her like this every day. He was nostalgic for it, realization dawning on him. She had always been there, and now he wondered how he had made it traveling around without her friendship to lift him when plagued with sorrow.

It was only then that Ash started to become self-conscious. Embarrassed at his attire, Ash thought it best to at least put on some shorts that he would wear to bed occasionally. Misty started to chuckle at his frantic attempt to put them on, fumbling to slip his legs inside. Her laughter ended as soon as he spoke.

"What were you trying to do anyway?"

"I couldn't sleep, so I was going to go downstairs to watch some TV," she explained, blushingly.

"C'mon," he said, grabbing her hand, pulling and toward the door. "We can go use the old DVD player and watch a movie.

"What?" she said, stunned. "I thought you'd want to go back to sleep."

"Don't worry about it," he replied with a grin. "I don't want you to be alone downstairs."

"You sure?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, let's go."

The two young adults spent about fifteen minutes sifting through the limited DVD collection in the Ketchum's living room. Their final decision was that of a comedy that came out a few years previously, which neither of them had seen. Ash slipped the disk into the player and began the movie. Still half-naked, he settled next to Misty on the couch, making her lose focus on the movie at times. She would steal glances at him, drinking in his beauty as if he were a fine wine, every sight of him more refined than the previous. Ash was oblivious to this, too invested in the movie to take notice.

The movie was more than half finished when Misty started to crash. Exhausted, she leaned against Ash much in the manner on the riverbank as she had weeks before that moment. Again, he did not protest. However, this time, he acted unexpectedly by lifting his arm and wrapping it around her shoulders. Her heart skipped a beat as he pulled her closer to him. This was not like the Ash that she had known from her youth.

"Ash, what are you doing?" she whispered, tipping her head up to look at him.

"What does it look like? I'm giving my best friend a hug. Got a problem with it?" he said, giving her a crooked smile.

"Nope," she said, snuggling up to him.

It was well past midnight when the movie had ended. Ash turned to Misty to get her opinion on the film, but he discovered that she had fallen asleep next to him. He did his best to try and wake her so she could go to bed but was unsuccessful in his endeavors. Sighing, he gingerly moved her as he got off of the couch. Doing his best to leave her undisturbed, he lifted her into his arms. He was astounded at how light she was. Carrying her, he ascended the stairs and walked into his room. After gently placing her in his bed, he covered her with the blanket. She shifted slightly, but did not wake. Crawling into his sleeping bag, Ash took a last long look at the sleeping beauty before him. After several moments of silence and deep thought, he turned over and proceeded to drift into his own slumber.

 

"Misty, like, wake up!"

"Huh?" Misty said groggily.

Misty bolted upright, disorientated from her surroundings. She was back in Ash's bed, not sure of how she got back there. Had the whole incident with him been a dream? She turned her head to see her sisters standing in front of her. Ash's sleeping bag was rolled up and set off to the side. They were all dressed down, which startled Misty. She had not seen her sisters like this since she had been a small child. They were always well dressed and wore make-up.

There was a flock of Pidgeys flying close by, cooing as they went. The sound of their wings flapping was very loud. A Dodrio squawked in the distance, hurting Misty's ears. The warm summer air wafted into the room as Misty gazed out the window. The sun outside was high in the sky, bright light shining into the room, bothering her eyes. Misty put her head in her hands, still tired. It felt like she had a hangover, but she had not consumed alcohol. She dreaded how she was going to feel the next morning.

"What time is it?" she asked her sisters.

"It's like two, Misty," Daisy said.

"Yeah, we need to get ready for the party," Violet commented.

"Uh sure…" Misty said reluctantly as she crawled out of the bed, this time successfully. "Let me go get something to eat first."

"But Misty, we like don't have time for that," said Lily.

"It'll take longer if I pass out from hunger," the youngest replied before exiting the room.

She walked out and down the stairs. Judging by their attitude, her sisters hadn't been in the house for long. They would have been even more insufferable had they been there for a few hours. While moving down the stairs, Misty was exasperated. It was going to be a long day. Misty had been thinking about it when she heard voices below her.

"So how are you coping?" a gruff voice said. It was Brock.

"Better than a few weeks ago, obviously. Having Misty around has helped."

"Have you told her yet?"

"Told me what?" Misty interrupted them.

"Oh nothing," Ash said, his voice going up an octave.

"Sure," said Misty. "Hi Brock!"

"Hey there Misty," her old friend said before embracing her.

"Do you want to know how the movie ended, Sleeping Beauty?" Ash teased her after she broke apart from Brock.

So it hadn't been a dream. Last night had really happened. They had a romantic moment. Misty thought about Ash's warm embrace, and she experienced a jolt of electricity rush through her. Blushing slightly, she avoided his gaze, ashamed that she had fallen asleep on him.

"Oh Misty, you're awake," Delia said, coming into the room. "Are you hungry? I made some lunch for everyone."

"Yes starving!" she said as she rushed toward the kitchen.

Misty had a delightful lunch with Ash, Brock, and Delia. She was correct in assuming that it would not last long. Her sisters came trouncing into the kitchen, searching for Misty, much to her dismay. The three of them grabbed her by the arms, and tugged her away from the table.

"Time to go get ready lil sis," Violet said.

Ash chortled as Misty was dragged off, mouthing the words "help me" before disappearing.

 

Ash and Brock waited in the living room for the girls to be done. Pikachu was with them, sporting a bow tie around his neck. The two men had been sitting there for quite a while. Ash's mother had been right about the suit—it fit him perfectly. Ash tried his best to tame his hair, but marginally succeeded in doing so. The suit was charcoal grey, coupled with a light blue shirt and grey tie. Brock was wearing a black suit with a white shirt and a black tie. He, like Misty's sisters was still single. Hundreds of girls still rejected him, though that did not stop him from trying.

Delia was the first to come down. She was wearing a plain pink dress, her hair put up in a messy bun. It was a bit disconcerting for Ash to see his mother looking so nice. He had always been accustomed to witnessing her in her pink apron. She was fussing over Ash and how handsome he looked when Pikachu began tugging on his sleeve.

"What's up Pikachu?"

"Pika pi pikachu!" he exclaimed, pointing to the staircase behind them.

The three eldest sensational sisters were coming down the stairs to join them. All three were wearing floor length gowns in varying colors. It was clear that their intention was to match in someway. Ash noted that the girls were wearing dresses that matched their synchronized swimming outfits. Each of them had their hair up in buns. Ash caught Brock's expression out of the corner of his eye. He was mesmerized. Ash tried waving his hand in front of him, but it was no use. His friend had never changed.

"Eh hem," Daisy started clearing her throat. "Now presenting—"

"The fourth sensational sister—" Lily continued.

"Misty!" Violet finished.

She appeared, and it was Ash's turn to be mesmerized. She was wearing light blue dress, the color similar to his shirt. It was not as long as her sisters' dresses, ending at the knees. It was a strapless gown, allowing for Misty to show off her shoulders, which were gently covered by the cascades of red hair, which her sisters had curled for the occasion. Along with the glittering jewelry and makeup, he barely recognized her. He had gone years of being best friends with her, and did not quite comprehend how gorgeous she was, not until that moment.

"You look great!" Ash said, unable to contain his excitement.

"You think so?" She said, blushing.

"Why would I lie to you about that?" he said, offering his arm. "Shall we get going?"

"Sure," Misty replied, taking what he had to offer.

 

The party was being held outside at Professor Oak's laboratory. The group arrived at the entrance to the back of the lab relatively early. Not many of the other guests had shown up yet. Professor Oak had greeted them, and ushered them to all the action. There were several large round tables adorned with white table clothes in a blocked off area of the grass. There were lanterns strung above the perimeter, illuminating it with a soft glow. There were a couple of long rectangular tables, partially set for a buffet near the side of the building. In the middle of the tables was a large area, presumably intended for dancing.

It was the perfect night for a romantic party. The weather was wonderful—warm and balmy with a slight breeze. The smells of late summer permeated the air, tickling Misty's nose. The stars above twinkled and danced, smiling at the guest below. A few of the Pokémon were roaming around, curious to see the festivities. After a brief assessment, Misty spotted a certain spiky-haired trainer chatting with a brunette. He paused mid-conversation, noticing her as well.

"Hey, Red!" he shouted, motioning all of them to come join them.

The group made their way over to his table. Misty's sisters seemed to be more interested in finding a mirror to check their makeup, peering into the dark windows on the side of the building. Brock lingered at Gary's table for only about a minute before making his way over to the bartender. It was clear what his intentions were that night. They had already lost Delia to Professor Oak when they had first gotten there. This left Misty and Ash to talk to the couple.

"Looking gorgeous Red!" said Gary when Misty and Ash first sat down with them. "Seriously what are you doing after this? Wanna come to my place and we can—ow!"

Green, who was next to him, jabbed him in the ribs. She glared at him, and he smiled at her sheepishly.

"I was only joking you know."

"I thought I was supposed to be your date," she grumbled.

"You are. I like to tease Misty, that's all. Tell her Red!"

"Yeah," Misty said, laughing. "Don't worry Green. He's all yours."

She looked at the two of them, skeptical still, but relaxed a little. Green was not the sole person annoyed by Gary's brash behavior. Ash had been throwing daggers in his direction as soon as he started hitting on Misty. Gary had no problem picking up on Ash's animosity toward him.

"Relax, Ashy-boy," he said. "You knew I was only kidding."

"Oh fuck off Gary," Ash snapped back.

"Language," Gary said. "There could be children running amuck."

"Oh so are you talking about yourself?"

"You're just jealous of me, Ashy-boy."

"Jealous? You wish!"

"Boys!" Misty shouted. "That's enough."

"Yes, Ma'am," they muttered in unison.

Misty rolled her eyes at them after the two rivals decided to go see if there was any food yet, Ash moaning to her that he was dying of starvation. This left the two girls alone to chat. There were more people in the yard now, with more appearing every few minutes. Green was dressed to the nines, clearly seeking the attention of Gary Oak. Her hair was twisted in an elegant knot with wisps of hair hanging, framing her face. She was wearing a bright green cocktail dress with a halter-top. Misty wished that she could have looked as beautiful as she.

"So Misty," said Green, turning her attention to the redhead. "Are you and Ash together now?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, silly. Are you dating?"

"No, of course not! We're just friends!" she exclaimed, grateful that the cloak of darkness concealed her reddening face.

"Uh huh," Green said. "I'm sure you could find a spot up on the edge of the grounds where no one would find you. Just go up there and fuck him already. Witnessing the sexual tension between you two is exhausting."

Misty said nothing, her face completely flushed at that point. It was not as if the thought never occurred to her. Misty was pretty certain that she would give up her right arm for that kind of intimacy with him. They had been so close to kissing, Misty believed. Once the damn broke, she was sure that she would not be able to control her urges.

Dinner was announced, and soon everyone had rushed up to the buffet table. The spread was spectacular salad, breads, pasta, roast beef, potatoes, and turkey, along with a few more exotic dishes. For dessert there were various cakes, fruit, and cheeses. Misty was convinced that Ash would need to sample the whole spread. The boys and her sisters had rejoined her once they had gotten their food. Misty had settled in between Ash and Brock, who was trying to hit on Violet to his left.

"You're so pretty. Marry me please," Brock pleaded to the girl who was practically begging him to leave her alone. She made the excuse that she had an important call coming in and jumped up from the table. She claimed that she'd return, but Misty knew better.

"Go home, Brock. You're drunk." Misty said.

"Huh? Go home with you? But Misty, I don't want to sleep with you."

Ash choked on the white wine in his hand at Brock's words. Misty groaned and put her face in her palms. She wasn't sure who was worse: drunken Brock or sober Brock. The only positive to drunken Brock that was one could blame his actions the alcohol. There was no excuse for sober Brock.

After dinner, Tracey and Daisy said a few words thanking everyone who came. They talked about love and how lucky they were to have found each other. It was a really touching speech, that is, until Gary started making snarky remarks. It ended in an argument between brother and sister, which Tracey tried to resolve by having the DJ start playing music. He whisked his love away to the dance floor, making her forget all about her brother.

The others wasted no time moving to go dance as well, with the exception of Ash and Misty who remained at the table. They watched the other guests swaying along with the music. She shifted uneasily in her seat, wanting to ask him to dance, but too afraid to do so. Ash would have been the same way, but he got a sudden influx of courage. He grabbed her hand and led her to join the others.

The two were comfortable dancing to the upbeat music. Gary had tried to cut-in, but Ash would not allow it, stating that he didn't trust him. Ash said to Misty that he might try to grab her rear end or something, and that she deserved to be treated like a lady. She was not sure where this was all coming from, but she was not complaining. The two were having fun, until a slow song started to play.

The two stared at each other nervously. Misty went to go back to the table, but Ash grabbed her arm to stop her. She was astounded at his confidence as he pulled her close to him, leading her into a more intimate dance, their bodies against each other as he tightly wrapped his arms around her. He could feel the rapid beat of her heart, and a smile crept on his face as he enjoyed the close contact.

 

"What are you doing?" Daisy Oak said to her fiancé.

Tracey had a sketchbook in his hand, and he was drawing something, to no one's surprise. This time, however, it was not of any Pokémon. Daisy looked over his shoulder to see the picture of two figures dancing together. She followed his line of vision to see the spot where Ash and Misty stood in each other's arms.

"Don't tell me that you're spying on them," she chastised him.

"Nah, spying would involve me hiding on their private moment. They're out in the open at _our_ engagement party. They won't mind, especially if I give them this along with the other sketches I have as their wedding present someday."

"So you think that they'll end up together?"

"I traveled with them a long time in the Orange Islands. I can tell you that they were made for each other. It's obvious to everyone except for those two. I wish that they'd stop being scared and take that step. They're my friends. I want them to be happy."

"Happy like us?" said Daisy with a smile.

"No one will be happier than us," Tracey said, returning her smile before giving her deep kiss. Everyone watching whistled and hollered, causing the couple to blush. There was no such thing as privacy in this setting. It did little to bother Tracey. They would have privacy later in their new apartment in Viridian.

 

"Hey Misty?" Ash asked as they danced.

"Yeah?"

"Do you have to leave tomorrow?"

There was a hint of sadness in his voice, stopping her movements. She moved away from his embrace to see his face more clearly. There was dejection in his eyes, and Misty felt guilty, it was her fault that he would plunge into sadness once more.

"Yeah. The gym has gone long enough without me. What else can I do?"

"You could quit being a gym leader."

"Ash!"

"Relax. I'm not serious…well that's only half true," he admitted.

Their eyes interlocked in a fiery passion. His warm eyes melted her armor, which usually was made of steel. How could she leave this man? When would she see him again? She had fallen too deeply in love with him to leave now. Yet, she had a duty to fulfill. She was concentrating on finding a solution when the idea struck her.

"Why don't you come back with me?"

"Huh?"

"I mean it. You could come back and help me out at the gym. I'm sure my sisters would be happy to have someone else take on gym duties, so they can focus on the shows. You aren't doing anything right? So what do you say?"

"I guess I'll have to bring my swim trunks, huh?"

Misty smiled, hugging him as tight as she could. He returned the gesture, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, taking in her scent. Misty's heart soared. She would have remained like this with him forever, but she settled for the couple of minutes of bliss before returning to the fun of the party with the rest of her friends.


	6. Onward to Cerulean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

"Ash Ketchum, did you get us lost again?"

Ash was looking at a map, terrified to look Misty in the eye. They had been in the Viridian Forest for two days at that point, unable to navigate to Pewter City. It echoed the first time that the two trekked through the dense forest. This time, however, they were older, although maybe not exactly wiser. Ash knew that there were no excuses this time—there had been no Team Rocket, samurais, or Beedrill to distract him. He was no longer a novice trainer. What it came down to was his poor sense of direction.

"You're not really lost if you on an adventure," he said with much chagrin.

"Oh I knew that I should have taken the map from the start!" Misty exclaimed in anguish. "Now we're lost again! Why do I even listen to you, you idiot?"

"Hey! I wasn't the one who decided to _walk_ to Cerulean. We could have gone back with your sisters, but noooo. We had to take the long way."

"Well how exactly would we have gotten my bike in the back of Daisy's car?"

"You could have just left it."

"Left it!" Misty exclaimed. She had Ash by the collar and was in his face. "Do you remember how many _years_ I had to wait for that bike?"

"All right, that's enough you two," said Brock, reprising his old role of mediator.

Since Pewter City was on the way to Cerulean City, Brock had decided to join the two budding lovebirds on part of their journey. After two days of hearing them squabble, Brock regretted not hitching a ride with Misty's sisters. According to Ash, they had been getting along in Pallet Town, but seeing them together made Brock skeptical. When they were not arguing, they were taking little teasing jabs at each other, which would then lead to another spout of bickering. He thought his days of preventing them from killing each other were well past him. Apparently, he had been wrong.

"You know I don't have to take this," said Misty. "I can find my way to Pewter City on my own. Come find me when you get there."

"Misty, wait!" Ash said as she stormed off.

He tried to stop her, but she ignored his pleads and continued walking. Ash would have followed her if Brock had not held him back, advising to give her some space to cool down. Ash did not understand why they had been fighting since they left Viridian. Misty still had her fiery temper, but it had not been until they got to the Viridian Forest that he received the full brunt of it. Old emotions were stirring inside him. Over the years, his desire to be the best had waned. With Misty by his side again, it was returning, causing Ash to wonder if it were all to impress her.

Ash sighed as the two men stopped to have some lunch. Brock's cooking had only gotten better, and Ash questioned if he was making the correct career choice. Pikachu was contently eating his Pokémon food, while Brock made them some sandwiches. The two ate as they discussed how Brock's studying was going. They were almost finished, but Misty had not returned.

"We should probably save some for her," Ash said.

"Since when do you give up food for Misty?" His friend asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well uhh…you see…" Ash stammered, not sure how to respond.

"No," said Brock in disbelief. "It can't be."

"What?"

"You _like_ her."

"It's not like that," Ash said, waving his hands in defense. "She's been so nice to me lately that I thought I should do the same."

"Suuureee."

"Besides," he continued, ignoring Brock's comment. "Even if I did like her in that way, I wouldn't be ready for anything like that, not after…well you know."

"Ash, you can't let something like that get you down for too long," Brock said. "Look at me. They push me down, and I get right back up."

Ash was going to say that it was not quite the same when there was a high-pitched scream in the distance. The two paused their conversation. It did not take long to register what was happening. Misty was in trouble.

Wasting no time, Ash leapt to his feet, breaking into a run. Pikachu ran closely behind, and upon catching up with his trainer, jumped on his shoulder. It was his fault that she had wandered into the forest alone. If she were hurt, he would never forgive himself.

Ash dashed through the woods, following the sound of her whimpers. When approaching a clearing, Ash spotted her orange hair popping out of low bush. There was a large Beedrill attacking the bush with its stinger. Misty was doing her best to avoid the attacks. He quickly moved into action, knowing how scared she was.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

"Pikachuuu!" Pikachu shouted, sending the electric attack toward the Beedrill.

When Pikachu was finished, the Beedrill dropped to the ground, stunned. Ash rushed to the bush, Pikachu behind him. He parted the branches with his hands, looking for Misty. He found her crouched, holding her knees. She was hyperventilating with tears falling from her eyes. After all these years, she remained petrified of bugs. Ash had not seen her so upset.

"Mist…" he muttered before offering his hand to help her out into the open.

Still crying, she held his hand, and he gingerly pulled her out of the thicket. She stood rooted for a moment of brevity before throwing her arms around him, startling the young man. When he held her, he noted that she was trembling. Ash squeezed her tighter as she was racked with sobs.

"Ash! Misty!" Brock called to them, finally catching up to the scene.

He had briskly cleaned up camp before rushing in the direction Ash had headed. He had all of their bags in his arms. Brock dropped them down, panting. Being around those two was certainly exhausting, in more ways than one.

Ash could only acknowledge Brock with a silent nod. Misty continued to cling to her best friend, too terrified to release her grip. Brock raised an eyebrow at the pair, and Ash replied with a reproachful gaze, his cheeks reddening slightly. He stroked her hair, inhaling her scent. His heart was pounding from the incident. He had almost been too late. Any longer, and she would have been badly wounded for sure.

"I'm so sorry, Misty," he whispered in her ear. "I won't leave you alone like that ever again."

 

The three friends exited the Viridian Forest the following morning. Misty could remember a few times where she had been more relieved, one of which was the time inside the Pokémon Tower. That was a different type of relief, however. She was cheerful as they walked into Pewter City, tugging Ash along by his arm.

"Hurry up," she said to him. "We need to get to Brock's so we can have breakfast. I'm so hungry."

"What's so great about breakfast at Brock's house?" Ash asked.

"Who do you think he learned to cook from?" Misty replied. "His mother's food is even better than his."

"Ohh I get it," said Ash, breaking into a sprint. "Well then I'll meet you there."

"Hey!" Misty yelled, dashing after him. "I bet you don't even remember the way!"

"Wait up you two!" shouted Brock.

"Pikachu!"

 

"It's so nice to see Brock's friends again," Lola said as she plopped a plate of pancakes down in front of them.

The rest of Brock's family had already eaten. Lola was happy to make a second batch for the wary travelers. Even though Brock was well into his adulthood, his mother continued to spoil him, trying to make up for the time she had been gone. Forrest remained at the table, eager to talk to Ash about Pokémon.

"Ash I'm so sorry to hear about your—ow!" Lola began to say until Brock gave her a quick elbow in her ribs. "Is that any way to treat your mother?"

"Sorry to hear about what?" asked Misty.

"I don't know what she's talking about," said Ash, turning his attention to Forrest. "How are things at the gym?

"Great!" Forrest exclaimed. "I have some new rock Pokémon. Do you want to come to the gym after and see them?"

"Sure," said Ash, his old enthusiasm returning. "We can go right now if you want! I'll just take this stuff to go. C'mon Pikachu!"

"Pika!"

"Hang on a minute," Misty said, but it was too late. The two young men were already on their way out the door. She grumbled, taking a bite of her pancakes. She always was left behind by everyone. Her sisters did not include her at all, until recently. She had found happiness traveling with Ash and Brock, but as with everything in her life, that had been finite, a time that fluttered in and out of her life like Ash's Butterfree. If she were to tell him how she felt, even if he reciprocated them, how long would that last? He would grow tired of her in time, as did everyone else.

"Don't worry, Misty," Brock said, "We'll be back soon!"

"Not you too!" she called as he left as well.

Misty spent a great portion of her morning helping Lola around the house. Brock's mother insisted that she help with rearranging the furniture and redecorating. For the girl who had no interest in such activities, it was torture. Lola bored her with wallpaper patterns and new china sets. She sat there, wishing to be back in Cerulean, battling a challenger. When the boys returned from their escapade, she insisted to Ash that they should continue on their way. He was hesitant, wanting to spend some more time with Brock before they left, but eventually, thanks to Misty's pleads, agreed.

They said their goodbyes to Brock and his family before continuing on to Mt. Moon. The two strolled along the path in relative silence. Misty led the way for most of the afternoon. Ash went along at a much slower pace, observing her gate. She was wearing shorts and a yellow tank top similar to the clothes she wore in her youth. She had her long hair in her signature side ponytail. Ash stared at it as it swayed in the breeze. Although she was lovely no matter what she did, he would admit to himself that he preferred it down. Sensing his gaze penetrating her, she whipped her head around to see him. He pretended to be interested in some wild Rattata running by their feet, his cheeks bright pink.

As it the daylight was waning, they decided to set up camp for the night, exhausted by the events of the past few days. At dinner, Ash complained about Misty's cooking, saying that he missed Brock already. This led to another argument, and Ash immediately offering an apology, fearful that she would storm away again. He did not believe that he could handle coming to her rescue all of the time. She raised an eyebrow when he conceded the fight. She stammered her acceptance, and he was once again in her good graces. After cleaning up and extinguishing the fire, they rolled out their sleeping bags and settled for the night.

"Hey Ash," she said as they lay close to each other.

"Yeah?" he said, rolling onto his side to face her. He propped his head with one of his arms.

"I just wanted to say…never mind. You'll think I'm being silly."

"No go on."

"Um…thanks for saving me yesterday," she said sheepishly. Even in the dim moonlight, Ash could see the slight color in her cheeks.

"Don't worry about it. I feel bad that I was the reason you took off in the first place."

"I should have known better," she said. Ash was astounded that she admitted being wrong. He was still, allowing for her to continue. "I wasn't thinking. I got wrapped up in my emotions, and I forgot where I was…to be honest, I was on my way back when the Beedrill attacked me."

"I knew that you hated bugs, but I've never seen you so scared of them. How come?"

"I think it got worse because of the nightmares," she whispered.

"Nightmares?"

"Yeah," she said, her eyes moving from his face to the stars dancing in the clear sky. "They started not long after I left you and Brock. I would have these nightmares where I was lost in the forest. I tried to look for you, but then these bugs would start to chase me. It was always the same. I would run away, screaming for you to come and save me. It only ended when I would wake up. It used to be all the time, but now it only happens to me occasionally. I guess the worst part about yesterday was that it was almost like my nightmares were becoming real."

"I'm sorry," he said. "I had no idea."

"It's okay, Ash. There was nothing you could really do about it if I had told you, so there was no point putting that on you when you were so busy with your training. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

It should not have been that way, Ash believed. His guilt increased the more he learned about Misty's life without him. He should have fought to have her by his side. He thought that she would have been better off without him holding her back from her dreams. Yet, she had missed him as much as he missed her. He had been wrong to assume otherwise. They could have had so much time together instead of their paths diverging. He would change their course, and make up for all the times he was not there for her. He decided it would start then. He scurried his sleeping bag with him inside over, so he was up against hers. He draped an arm over her, tugging her close to him, her head resting on his chest.

"Ash what are you doing?" Misty said, her heart thumping wildly.

"I won't let the bad dreams get you, promise. Now let's get some sleep. It's late."

It required some time for Misty to relax under his grip. She was touched by his sweet gestured. The years had matured the Pokémon trainer. Perhaps there was a chance that he would be in it for the long term. She would have to spend more time with him to be sure before she revealed her affections for the man. As she nestled against him, she knew that this was a start.

 

"So like what took you so long?" Daisy asked the two when they arrived at the gym the following afternoon.

"We got a bit side-tracked," said Misty as a flier hanging on the bulletin board behind her older sister distracted Ash.

"Um so when did you decide that I was going to be in one of your productions without asking me first?"

"What!" exclaimed Misty, snatching the paper from the board.

The flier had an old picture of Misty that had been used for the mermaid production done years ago. This time it promised of the return of the production, starring Misty Waterflower and Ash Ketchum. According to the flier, the production was slated to run in two weeks. Misty shot her sister a dirty look.

"What's the big deal? I'm not doing this again!"

"Aw come on Misty, you know that we're going to like start slowing down soon. This will give us one last boost before winter."

"Yeah, but why do I have to be the star again?" she whined.

"I hate to admit it," Daisy said. "You've actually become quite popular you know. The rest of us are getting older, and you're in your prime now. We got the idea when you told us that Ash was staying for a while. We thought that pairing you with a famous trainer like Ash would create a sold-out show for sure."

"I'm not that famous," Ash muttered, his face gaining a little more color.

"Give yourself more credit. What do you say? Will you do it?" Daisy asked with her hands clasped together.

"Oh I guess," he said. "It could be fun…as long as I battle with some cool water Pokémon like last time."

"It's a deal!" she exclaimed before turning to her younger sister. "So lil sis, what do you say?"

"Oh fine," Misty huffed, before stomping off. "C'mon Ash, I'll show you where your room is."

Ash trailed close behind her, excited for the first time in weeks. He was starting to become like his old self. There was an emotion stirring from his gut. It grew stronger when learning that he was going to star in a show with the girl in front of him. He was aware that the coming weeks were going to be interesting. For some unknown reason, he was elated, grinning, as she lead him up the stairs.

 


	7. Life Used 'Confusion'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

The leaves were beginning to turn yellow in Cerulean City. The air was still warm, but the autumn was soon approaching. It was a quiet Sunday afternoon with many locals spending the final days of summer down in Vermillion. It was calm in the streets of Cerulean; inside the city's gym, however, was a different story.

"Starmie, water gun!"

The star Pokémon shot out a stream of water. Its opponent, a Wartortle, saw the attack coming and dove into the pool. Misty, a Water Pokémon expert saw this to her advantage. She smirked, knowing exactly what to do.

"All right Starmie! We have it now. Thunderbolt!"

Her Pokémon spun around and then a bolt of electricity emitted from her body. The electric attack travelled through the pool, finding its target. The Wartortle floated up to the surface, knocked out. Misty was victorious. Her opponent, a young boy, fell to his knees in defeat.

"I should have seen that one coming," he said.

"You fought a tough battle," said Misty, walking over to him. "Don't be so hard on yourself."

"Yeah, but this is my third rematch, and I still can't seem to win."

"Just keep at it. Ask Ash over there. He knows more about losing and coming back a better trainer than anyone."

Ash, who had been watching this whole time, looked offended by her comment. He was not the same trainer he had been when they were first traveling together. Yet, he did have that habit of losing to a Gym leader the first time around. He smiled and waved sheepishly at the boy, who was now even more embarrassed. He must not have known that there had been a spectator for the match.

Ash was impressed with Misty's level of skill. She was a lot better than the last time he saw her battle. It had been a few days since their arrival, and Ash had witnessed many matches. Misty had not lost once. Her Pokémon were impressive as well, knowing attacks that would always put the battle to her advantage. He watched her in admiration as she talked to the young trainer, giving him tips about his Wartortle. After the boy had left, Ash came down the stairs in the arena to join her. She was stretching her arms when he reached her.

"I am exhausted. I hate that my sisters didn't even bother taking on challengers while I was gone. There are so many of them now."

"You were great though," Ash said.

"Really? I am a bit rusty from not training for a few weeks."

"You still did great."

"I guess so," she said. "I think I've caught up on all the appointments. Want to go for a swim?"

"Uh sure," Ash said, feeling uneasy for some reason. "I'll go get my swimsuit."

 

Ash walked back into the gym, nervous. He was in nothing but his swim trunks. His thoughts were of the time about a week previously when he was shirtless. That night they had almost kissed, and possibly done more. He wondered if anything like that would happen during their swim. He wouldn't openly admit it, but he was very attracted to her.

She was already swimming laps in the pool when he walked along the tile floor on the edge. He called over to her, his voice quivering. She swam the breaststroke over to the nearest ladder, and pulled herself up over the surface to great him. She was wearing a white and blue bikini, all of her curves displayed for him. Her dripping wet body sent his attraction into overdrive. His face got hotter as she drew closer, as he was also undressing her with his eyes. She stopped in front of him smiling, her sopping wet hair secured into a tight ponytail, much like the one she had sported years ago.

"You ready?"

"S-sure," he said, taking a running leap into the pool without another word.

Misty shrugged off his peculiar behavior, strolling slowly to the far end of the pool. She reached the base of the diving board, and peering behind her, saw that Ash had been observing her the entire duration. Self-conscious, she climbed up the ladder, prepared to do a high dive. She reached the top and was aware that he was still watching below. Inhaling deeply, Misty trotted down the board and leaped off, flying through the air. Ash watched in awe as she dove effortlessly in the water. His mouth was hanging open slightly when she swam over to him.

"You know," she said, treading the water. "We ought to practice for the show. I'm sure there'll be a lot of swimming like there was last time. Although, I think most of the swimming will be on me…so never mind I guess."

Ash was not retaining anything that Misty was saying. His attention was focused on her body in front of him. His hormones running wild, all he could do was stare at her. She was so beautiful in front of him. He just wanted to push her up against the side of the pool and kiss her. It was not all that he wanted to do to her. These thoughts pervaded his mind as he felt a tightening in his mid-section and a particular pressure in between his hips. As he realized what was happening, panic became present. What was he thinking? This was _Misty_ he was fantasizing about then. She was the scrawny brat from his childhood. He should not be experiencing this attraction, no matter how beautiful she may be. She was his best friend, and he would be devastated if he ever were to mess that up for his own selfish pleasures.

"Ash, you even listening to me?"

Her high-pitched scolding shook him from his pensive state. His face was beet red by that point, with something else occurring below his hips. Not wanting her to see _that_ , he briskly swam away from her, much to her chagrin.

"Where are you going?" she shouted.

"I just remembered that I had an appointment for something."

"You haven't got any appointment. Get your butt back over here, Ash Ketchum."

"Sorry, Mist. I can't. I'll catch you later, okay?"

He lifted his body out of the pool, back turned to Misty. Once standing on the floor, he moved his head to see the tent forming in his pants. Still greatly embarrassed, he ran out of the area, praying that he would not run into one of her sisters on the way to his room upstairs. He did not say another word to Misty, leaving her angry, but also feeling rejected and confused.

 

Ash had been absent from Misty's presence for the rest of the day. She spent over an hour that evening making dinner for everyone. Her sisters were at the table, ready for the meal, but Ash was nowhere to be found. She thought this to be odd because her cooking had greatly improved, and he was not one to miss a meal. It was reminiscent of the first night she was in Pallet Town. She hoped that he was not reverting back to his depressed state. It was awful to see him so sad, and she had worked hard to cheer him up.

"Do any of you know where Ash is?" Misty asked as she set the food down at the table.

"Well the last I saw of him was when he went thundering through the hall to his room with nothing but swim trunks on." Lily said.

"Yeah, Misty, what did you do to the poor boy?" Violet said.

"What do you mean?"

"He was all hot and bothered when we saw him. He couldn't even utter like two words to us when we said hello. If I didn't already know him, I'd say he was extremely rude, but I know better."

"Nothing," Misty replied. "We were swimming in the pool after my last match, but it didn't last long. He left, giving me this lame excuse."

"Oh," said Lily.

"That explains a lot," Violet said.

"Huh?"

"Well little sister. Think about it. He saw you in your bikini right?" said Daisy.

"So? It's not like he's never seen me that way before."

"Yeah that may be true," the oldest sister continued. "But you were kids then. He only thought of his Pokémon, not girls. Not to mention you weren't like as voluptuous per se. Seeing you in an outfit like that probably got him _excited_."

"You mean—" Misty yelped, her face turning crimson.

"Aw look. Our little sister is blushing," Lily teased.

"I am not!"

"Don't tell me that you're like still a virgin," Daisy said.

"And what if I am?" Misty asked, indignant.

"There's nothing wrong with that, Misty," Violet said.

"Yeah, we love you little sis," said Daisy. "We were only teasing you, but if you do decide to go there with Ash, just do us a favor and put on some music or something."

"Agreed. We don't want to hear any of that."

"Oh and don't forget to use protection!" Lily called as Misty stormed out of the kitchen, grumbling.

 

The evening was turning into night when Misty brought up a tray of food from dinner to Ash's room. She could not see a light emitting from the crack underneath the door. She wondered if he was sleeping. She went to open the door, but hesitated. What if he were doing _something else_? Her face got hot by the thought of that. Her heart hammering, she pushed the image out of her mind. Inhaling sharply, Misty placed a gentle knock on the door. There was a moment of silence before the soft footsteps of bare feet against the floor grew louder. There was a click of the light, bringing illumination to the dark hallway. Even more light seeped in when Ash opened the door and popped his head out.

"Oh hi, Misty," he said.

"Sorry to intrude. Were you sleeping? The light was off."

"Oh no," he replied, shifting awkwardly. "What's up?"

"You didn't come down for dinner, so I thought you might be hungry," she said, holding out the tray.

"It's that late? I must have lost track of the time. Thanks," he replied, taking the tray of food from her.

"Well that was all," she said as she began to walk away. "Have a good night."

"Misty, wait!"

"Yes?" she asked, her heart still hammering.

"Come in and spend time with me." It was more of a request than a demand. Ash's eyes stared at her earnestly, pleading with her. Her heart did a backflip, and she couldn't resist his desire. She followed him into the room, closing the door gently behind her. Pikachu was in there as well, sleeping peacefully, curled up on the small desk in the corner. The electric mouse stirred, but did not wake, when Ash placed the tray down next to him. Misty sat on his bed, opposite to him. Concentrating on calming her shaking hands, she sat in silence, observing as he took the first bite.

"Who made this?" he asked, reaching for the glass of iced tea.

"Um I did," she replied sheepishly.

"You're pulling my leg right?" he said with a smile. "This is pretty good. From what I recall, your cooking used to be complete shit."

"Hey, I resent that!"

"Relax. I'm only kidding. It was pretty bad though. You've gotten a lot better. Just take the compliment Misty."

"Okay fine," she said. "What were you doing in here with all the lights off anyway?"

"I was thinking."

"About what…?"

"Stuff."

"That's all you're going to tell me?"

"Yup."

"You are—"

"What?"

"Incredibly frustrating."

Misty flopped back on the queen size bed, expressing a low groan. She was on the unmade side, the covers askew. Since this was the guest room, Ash enjoyed the luxury of a bed large enough for two people. She had been so busy. Now that she had a moment of rest, she realized how tired she was. She tucked an arm under the pillows, sighing at their comfort. Ash grinned at her before taking another bite of food. He was not doing it intentionally, not telling her. He was not ready for that still, even though it had nearly been a month. It amused him to torture her, though. She did not speak for the remainder of his meal. He was pensive, considering telling her everything, or at least, some of it. She would be more understanding of his strange behavior, he hoped in the very least. He took a deep breath before beginning.

"I know you've been wondering why I've been sad and stopped training," he said, staring out the open window next to him. "I'm not ready to share all the details, I guess, but I can give a basic summary of what's happened. I started dating this girl about a half a year ago. We were friends for a while, and she had been traveling with me. She was the one who wanted to go out with me initially. After some persistence, I eventually agreed to try it out. We got along pretty well and things were great at first. The reason I came home was she dumped me for another guy. He was better looking I guess. He had more money and was more put together. Having a girlfriend like that took away from my training, too. It was a disaster.

"So I came home. Pokémon training reminded me of her and the previous months. It was too painful. I needed to take a break. I'm glad that you came to see me though. Having you around has helped. I never realized how much I missed you. I know that I should have told you about her sooner, before we even broke up I guess. I got too carried away with the new relationship and neglected everything else. It only made matters worse when it came to an end.

"Right now, I am so confused about my feelings. I know I am sad and angry about what she did. I don't know if that's because I was betrayed or if I actually loved her. I never had a girlfriend before, so I'm not sure if what I felt for her was love or if it had been something simple. And right now I feel that we are getting close, and I don't know what that's all about. Are we getting closer as friends or is there something more to this? I look at you and I cannot even describe how it makes me feel. It's similar to the emotions I had for my ex, but seems so much stronger.

"You got to give me some time, Mist, to sort through all of this. I'm getting out of a bad break-up, and I don't know if this is just rebound stuff that everyone talks about or if I'm really falling for you. If you don't feel the same way, then that's fine…tell me now before I get myself in too deep because I don't think I could handle that. You're my very best friend, and if I lost you, I know that my entire world would fall apart—way worse than this time. I want to be sure, you know?"

His soliloquy was greeted with silence. He waited for Misty to respond, but he did so in vain. Was she in shock? Was she angry? He could not bear to look at her at first, but got so frustrated that he gave in, whipping his head around to face her. Misty was sleeping peacefully in his bed, her face relaxed, and she was even snoring softly. Ash sighed, realizing that she had not heard a single word of all of that. Here he was, spilling out his heart to her, and she was unconscious. Maybe this was a sign that he shouldn't tell her. It might hurt her to know that he had kept this from her for so long.

He gave a sigh and rose from his chair. He tucked the covers around her sleeping body before heading to the light switch. After turning off the lights, he prepared for bed, taking off his shirt. Not wanting to wake her, Ash climbed into the bed on the opposite, unused side. He spent several moments staring at her face, drinking in her beauty, and wondering whether or not if he deserved her. He could tell that she would never do anything to hurt him like the other girl, but he feared shattering Misty, knowing how fragile she could be. He placed a kiss on her forehead, and she stirred slightly, but did not wake. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her close to him. He fell asleep to the sounds of her beating heart.


	8. Kiss the Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

"Misty what is your problem?" Daisy asked her, the irritation distinct in her voice.

It was a couple of days before the show was to go on. She and Ash were rehearsing their lines with Daisy at the pool one afternoon. It was raining outside, the sound of the raindrops pounding against the window filling in the silence. Ash was playing his part of the prince rather well. They could get through the show in its entirety, and had rehearsed it several times in fact. The only problem was the ending – Daisy had written in that the mermaid and her prince kiss. Misty suspected that it was her sister's own brand of matchmaking.

"Nothing, I just…" Misty trailed off, after the third attempt to kiss Ash had failed due to flustered nervousness. Ash chuckled at her, clearly not bothered by the thought of kissing her.

"What's the matter, Misty?" he taunted with a smirk. "You don't want to kiss me or something?"

"No, that's not it. I mean—" she stopped, the words rushing out of her mouth before she could stop them. "We're friends. It's a bit weird, don't you think?"

"Pretend I'm your last boyfriend then."

"Uh no that's okay."

"Misty, just do it already. The show is in two days and we're still not ready!"

"I'll be back," said Misty, ignoring her sister and turning to leave the pool. "I can't do this right now."

"But Misty—"

She did not respond as she left the area, and headed up to her room. Although Misty tried many times to get Daisy to change the script, she would not budge on the matter. It frustrated Misty. She was not even sure if she could go through with kissing Ash. She was too embarrassed, for one thing. She knew that she was in love with him now, which made it all the more complicated. Ash was oblivious to this, of course. To make matters worse, this kiss, which would technically be their first, would be seen by hundreds of people. No, it would be too much for Misty.

Misty reached her room, and was surprised to see Pikachu there, out on her veranda. She went outside to join him. She sighed as she plopped her head in her arms against the railing. Pikachu leapt from the floor gracefully onto the railing next to her. He gave her a pat in sympathy, and she responded with a scratch under his chin.

"Chaa!" the electric rodent said in glee.

"I don't know, Pikachu…" Misty said. "Part of me wants to kiss Ash, but that might bring us to the subject that we seem to be dancing around these days."

They seemed close to the subject a couple of weeks ago, the night Misty brought up Ash's dinner. Misty had a feeling that he may have told her something important, but she had fallen asleep on him at that point. The next morning, she had woken up to see the other side of the bed empty, but also unmade. Her cheeks turned pink as she thought of the idea of Ash sleeping next to her. There was no question about that, but she was too terrified to ask him. Additionally, he seemed to be more distant with her since that night. She rarely saw him other than for rehearsals and to help out with her matches.

"Pikachupi pikachu pi Pikapi."

"You think so?" she responded, even though she was not entirely sure of what he had just said.

"Chu!"

There was a knock at the door. Before she had a chance to respond, the door opened to reveal Ash. He had changed out of his costume into his normal clothes, which consisted of a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. Misty looked down at her mermaid princess dress, and wish that she had done the same. The story was so elaborate this time that it required Misty to make a couple of quick-changes throughout the production.

"Oh there you are Pikachu," Ash said as he came to join them. "I was wondering where you were."

"Pikapi!"

"Ash, what are you doing here?" Misty demanded.

"Checking up on you…you left in such a huff, you know."

"Yeah well you would too if your sisters continued to torture you," she said stiffly, turning away from him.

"So by torture, you mean having to kiss me. I see how things are then," he said, dejected. He turned to leave her.

"Ash wait," she said, reaching her arm out to stop him. He halted, anxious for what she was about to say. "You know that's not what I meant."

"What then?" he demanded, coming close to her.

"Well uhh—I mean—" she said, acutely aware of their close proximity.

Ash gave her a crooked smile as his face inched closer to hers. She could feel his warm breath envelope her lips. The pounding in her chest drowned out the sounds of the birds outside. She was trembling, even though the air was warm. Ash Ketchum made her weak in the knees, simple as that. He closed his eyes as their lips were on the precipice of touching.

Misty's knees buckled, and the next thing she knew was that she was on the floor. Everything was spinning. What was wrong with her? She had kissed a countless amount of boys before and never reacted like this. What was so different about the dark-haired beauty before her? It was hard enough to keep her breathing in check around him, let alone stand, especially when he had been so close to kissing her.

Ash's eyes fluttered open when he heard the thump of Misty's body hitting the veranda floor. Alarmed, he rushed to lift her back to her feet. Her face grew hot when he put his muscular arms around her. It was a struggle to steady herself around him. Once she was stable, she looked up into his concerned eyes. They were warm and inviting. She looked away, embarrassed.

"Are you okay?" he asked gruffly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "I think I'm going to have a rest, if you don't mind."

"Oh sure," he said, sounding disappointed. "C'mon Pikachu."

"Pika."

The young man and his Pokemon exited the room. Misty closed the door behind then, emitting a sigh of relief. The latch on the door snapped, and Misty slid down against the door. She sat on the floor, her hand clutching against her chest. She lifted her other hand against her lips, thinking about Ash's lips that nearly came in contact with hers.

 

Misty looked around the corner of the opening behind the diving board. It was a sold-out crowd. There were many people who came to town just to see her and Ash perform. She was nervous, not for the performance, but for the daunting kiss that would end the show. She was not sure if she could truly go through with it.

" _Ladies and gentlemen, we welcome you to the Cerulean Gym's production of The Little Mermaid, starring Misty Waterflower and Ash Ketchum,"_ Daisy's voice on the loudspeaker blared. _"Please be seated as the show will begin in a few moments."_

Misty stiffened in her mermaid costume, as the weight of was about to happen hit her hard. The lights dimmed until the gym had plunged into almost complete darkness, except for the lights over the large above ground tank, the same exact one that they had used for the first show, a decade ago. She walked out to the platform and stood poised on the diving board. The spotlight directed on her and the audience cheered in response. Misty, conforming to the part, waved her hand high above her head and smile. She did this until the cheers started to dissipate. Then, she took a giant leap and dove perfectly into the pool with ease.

" _Once upon a time, there was a little mermaid. She was the youngest, but most beautiful of all the mermaids. Her name was Misty."_

Misty started to swim around the pool. The crowd cheered and whistled, but she did not break her concentration for a second. The Pokemon began to come out from the bottom of the pool, and joined Misty.

" _She spent her days playing with her water Pokemon. They loved to dance with the mermaid. She loved her friends and playing in the sea, but something was missing. She wanted more. Misty longed to be part of the human world."_

Misty pulled herself out of the water onto a rock, and stared out into the crowd, wistfully. A large raft made to look like a ship came floating out from the backside of the pool. Ash was on the raft, sporting dark pants and a baggy white shirt. Misty hid behind the rock. There was a bolt of electricity and the raft caught on fire. Ash looked panicked and fell into the water. It looked as though he was drowning until Misty dove into the water to save him.

" _One night a ship was passing along when a storm hit. The ship was struck by lightning, and got caught on fire. A young prince, named Ash, was aboard. Ash was knocked into the water, and nearly drowned. Misty came and saved him and brought him back to the shore."_

She pulled him onto the rock. He coughed up the water, and as he was waking up, Misty fled into the water. Ash sat up on the rock in a daze. Pikachu ran out to him, happy to see that he was okay.

" _Misty fell in love with this human. She watched him from afar every day. Soon she grew tired of longing to be with him, so she went to see the sea witch."_

She popped out from the water, watching him from afar. The lights dimmed and ominous music began to play. Misty swam along to a cavern towards the bottom of the pool. The sea witch, played by Violet, appeared, wearing an elaborate costume. She looked Misty over as if she was a coveted prize.

" _The sea witch granted her wish to be human, but it came at a price. In exchange, Misty had to give up her most precious possession – her voice. She would only have three days to have true love's kiss, which would make the change permanent. If she didn't, she would become the sea witch's slave."_

Lights and smoke filled the water as the music played. Misty grabbed at her throat as the transformation took place. She kicked hard against the water as she fought for air. She broke through the surface with a gasp as the lights dimmed.

The lights turned back on to show Misty lying on a rock. Her body was covered by discarded canvas. Ash and Pikachu were walking on the other side of the rock when Pikachu saw Misty and pointed it out to Ash. The two of them ran up to Misty. Ash approached her to shake her shoulder. Misty woke up with a start, startled to see Ash in front of her. She struggled to stand, a frightened expression on her face.

"It's okay," Ash said, taking a step forward. Girls in the crowd started swooning at the sound of his voice. "I'm here to help."

Misty did not relax at this, showing that she was nervous to be around the prince. She turned away, but he ignored her actions, moving around to get a good look at her face.

"Are you okay Miss?"

Misty moved to speak, but she remembered that she could not. She shook her head in response.

"You look familiar to me. Have we met before?"

Misty nodded her head enthusiastically to say yes. Ash grabbed her hands.

"I knew it! You must be the one who rescued me. What's your name?"

Misty mouthed her name and no sound came out. Ash dropped her hands, looking disappointed.

"You can't speak, can you? You can't be her then."

Misty looked at Ash, her expression sad. Pikachu pulled on Ash's pants, trying to tell him that he was wrong. Ash gazed at Misty, ignoring his friend. He gave her a small smile, and took her hand and began leading her away from the water.

"Well c'mon then," he said as the lights began to turn off. "Let's get you in some better clothes."

The lights come on again to show Misty and Ash the next morning, walking along the beach. The two of them give each other side-glances. Pikachu was in front of them, shaking his head at the situation. Ash picked up a seashell and gave it to Misty. She took it from him with a blush.

"You know, I feel kind of bad, not knowing your name. Maybe I could guess it. Is it Patricia?"

She made a face at him, showing her disgust.

"How about Rebecca? Rachel? Sabrina?"

She shook her head to all of them.

"I just feel weird calling you Miss all the time."

Misty perked up, pointing at him frantically.

"What? Does your name sound something like Miss?"

She nodded her head viciously.

"Oh okay…is it Missy?"

She shook her head and pointed out at the water. Ash stood there thinking for a minute before he finally spoke.

"Misty?"

She nodded her head with a bright smile. He grinned back at her.

"You know that's kind of pretty," he said as the lights dimmed again.

" _Two days had passed and Misty had yet to accomplish her goal. To make matters worse, a mysterious woman appeared, captivating the prince. At the end of the third day, they would be wed."_

Misty sat on the edge of the rock with her Dewgong swimming in the water. She looked depressed as she gazed at the new woman with Ash. He would not even look back at Misty, as he seemed entranced by this new beauty. She averted her gaze as the tears formed in her eyes. The new couple walked away, hand-in-hand.

" _It was hopeless, until Misty's trusty Dewgong discovered that the other girl was really the sea witch in disguise. She had to go stop that wedding."_

Misty jumped into the water, Dewgong pulling her to the small boat on the other side of the arena. Ash and Violet were on it with Lily playing the preacher. The other water Pokemon rock the boat as Misty climbs on board. The motion knocks over Violet. She fell on top of the seashell necklace, breaking it, thus breaking the spell on Misty. Lights and smoke billowed around her, as the voice traveled back into her body.

"My voice is back," Misty said.

"Misty?" Ash asked, approaching her timidly.

"Ash."

"You can talk," he said. "You're the one."

They had gotten to the part that Misty had been dreading—the big kiss. Trembling, Misty closed her eyes as Ash approached her. She shivered as she felt his hands on her shoulders. He leaned forward, poised to plant his lips on hers. He was millimeters away from kissing her, the audience waiting with bated breath. The lights went out, stopping them short. The pair opened their eyes, confused.

"Prepare for trouble," said a voice.

"Oh no," groaned Ash.

"Make it double."

"You have got to be kidding me," said Misty.

Team Rocket appeared at the other end of the pool on the diving board. They were sporting the same outfits they had last time they had decided to crash on a Cerulean Gym production. Misty was surprised that they still had those costumes.

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unite all peoples within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of truth and love."

"To extend our reach from the stars above."

"Jessie."

"James."

"Do you mind?" shouted Misty. "We're kind of trying to do a show here!"

"How dare you interrupt the Team Rocket motto!" Jessie yelled back.

"Say," said James. "Isn't that the twerpette?"

"Hey, you're right, James."

"Except that she's not much of a twerp anymore."

"No I guess not…"

"Would you two focus!" shrieked Meowth. "We have a job to do."

"Oh right," said James.

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light," said Jessie, continuing the motto.

"Surrender now or prepare to fight."

"Meowth, that's right."

"Aren't you guys a bit old to be still doing this?" Misty asked.

"I've asked myself the same question every day I was in Kalos," commented Ash.

"Who are you calling old?" Jessie fired back, glaring at the redhead. "You'll pay for that comment. Now hand over all of your Pokemon!"

"No way," scoffed Misty. "If you think I am just going to hand them to you, you have another thing coming."

"Go get them Pumpkaboo!"

"You too, Inkay."

The two Pokemon jumped into action after being released from their Pokeballs. The crowd cheered in excitement at the thought of watching a Pokemon battle, thinking that this had to be part of the show. Sparks flew out of Pikachu's cheeks, the mouse anxious to battle. Misty gave Dewgong a silent look, and it sprung into action.

"Pumpkaboo, Leech Seed!"

"Avoid it Dewgong!"

Dewgong dodged the attack, but barely. Misty had to think fast if she wanted this battle to end.

"Dewgong Ice Beam!"

Dewgong opened its mouth, letting a large beam of ice escape. Pumpkaboo and Inkay were frozen in their tracks.

"Awesome work Dewgong! Ready Ash?" Misty said, turning to her friend.

"Oh right. Pikachu!"

"Pika!"

"Thunderbolt!"

The electric mouse jumped into action, emitting electricity from its little body. Team Rocket's Pokemon went flying into them, sending them up into the air and through the roof of the gym.

"Looks like Team Rocket is blasting off again."

Pikachu landed gracefully, and the crowd cheered, wanting more. Misty smiled sheepishly, hoping that everyone would forget about the kiss that was supposed to happen. Ash smiled brightly at her before grabbing her hand. She blushed, but did not make any objections. The two stepped forward, taking their bow. To Misty's relief, the show had ended without her having to kiss Ash.

 

Later that night, Misty's sisters were throwing an after party for the show in the gym. It was a fairly small affair, by her sister's standards, which meant about a hundred people. Misty had no idea who half of these people were. A few of their friends were there, including Brock, much to Violet's chagrin as she remembered his behavior at Daisy Oak and Tracey's engagement party. In addition to their friends who live close, there were some fans of the three older sisters present. Misty mimed gagging in front of Ash as they walked by Daisy surrounded by a bunch of men fawning over her, causing him to laugh in response.

"Honestly," she said. "I don't understand how my sisters like attention like that. It's pretty disgusting if you ask me."

"Don't you have some fans like that though?" Ash asked.

"Well yeah, but I do my best to keep them at bay. Having them gawking at me is a bit disconcerting, you know?"

"I wouldn't really know. I don't have girls chasing after me like that."

"What?" said Misty, surprised. "I would have thought Mr. Hot-shot Pokemon Trainer would have had at least a few fangirls."

"Yeah, nothing of that sort," he said. "I'm not like Gary or anything."

"You talking about me?" said someone from behind them, coming between them, putting his arms around their shoulders.

"Gary! Who invited you?"

"Well, I did, Ash."

"What?"

"Relax, Ashy boy," said Gary. "Red and I are only friends, remember? Although you were looking fine in that mermaid costume…you sure that you don't want to go back to your room and we can—"

"Yes, I'm quite sure. I'm flattered, but no thanks."

"Well suit yourself," Gary said as he sauntered away. "If you change your mind, I'll be around."

Misty rolled her eyes, knowing full well that she would not be changing her mind about that. If there was any guy that she wanted to do _that_ with, it was the guy standing next to her. Ash took no notice of Misty's annoyance, however. He was too preoccupied with giving Gary a death glare.

"He has some nerve."

"Ash, relax. I wouldn't worry about it."

"I don't like the way he talks to you."

"You know that he is only kidding right?"

"Yeah, well I still don't like it."

"He does it to get under your skin…but I don't understand why you are so worked up about him cracking jokes like that when you know he doesn't mean any harm by it."

"Well, I…"

"Yes?"

"I mean, you know that I care about you right? You're my best friend, and I don't want anyone to hurt you."

"Thanks," Misty said, giving him a warm smile. "That's kind of sweet actually."

Ash grinned back at her as the DJ started playing music. He grabbed her hand and yanked her body close to his. He dragged her along in his stupid dance, making her laugh. They were dancing when Brock approached them. Ash gave him a wave and the two paused in their movements. Brock gave Misty a quick hug before putting an arm around Ash, beginning to take him away from her.

"C'mon Ash we're totally going to get wasted tonight!" Brock shouted over the music.

"Uhh I'm not sure if I should…"

"Aww c'mon. I need you as my wingman. There are too many beautiful women here for me to just sit around and do nothing."

"Oh all right. I guess I'm not going anywhere else tonight. No harm then. You okay here on your own Misty?"

"Yeah sure…"

"K. I'll catch up with you later, I promise," he said as he and Brock disappeared into the dancing crowd.

Misty stood there shaking her head. "Boys," she grumbled under her breath.

Several hours had passed and she had not seen either Ash or Brock. She went around the room, looking for him with Pikachu on her shoulder. She searched almost everywhere she could think of in the place. She was about to give up and go to bed when she spotted Lily chatting to a handsome stranger.

"Misty!" shouted her sister, motioning for her to come over. "There's our little star."

"Hey Lily," she said as she came up to them.

"This is Rick," she said motioning the man. "Rick, this is of course, my little sister Misty."

"Hey Misty."

"Uh, nice to meet you...Lily, have you seen Ash?"

"Ash? Yeah, he's right behind you."

"Huh?" Misty said, turning around.

Sure enough, Ash was standing right behind her—rather, swaying back and forth behind her. He had gone overboard, like she knew he would. Brock was not the best influence on him, especially when it came to alcohol. Misty groaned, smacking her palm against her face before grabbing Ash's arm and leading him away. The two kept going, past all of the people dancing and drinking, until they reached a quiet spot in the hall. Pikachu leapt off her shoulder and headed up the stairs, away from all the commotion.

"Mist, where are you taking me?"

"Upstairs to bed."

"Whoa," he said dazed. "I don't think I want to go that far yet…I mean it's kind of early for that, don't you think?"

"Up to bed to sleep, you moron," said Misty, her cheeks gaining a little color. "Get your head out of the gutter."

"Well it can't help but live in the gutter when I'm around you, Mist."

"What are you saying?"

"You…are beautiful," he said, pulling her close to him. In his arms, she could smell the strong odor of alcohol on his breath and clothes.

"You are so drunk right now," she said, trying to suppress a laugh.

"No I mean it. I've always thought that. You are gorgeous."

"Thanks, I guess," she said, blushing profusely.

"So," he said, backing her against the wall. "We never did get to have our kiss today. I think now would be a good time to make up for it."

"Ash, stop fooling around," she laughed nervously. "We don't have to do that now."

"Aw c'mon. No one is watching," he said putting his face inches from hers.

"Ash, be serious."

"I am. I _want_ to kiss you."

"What? Ash, don't be silly—" Misty began to say, but she was cut off by Ash's lips crashing onto hers like a tidal wave, sending a spark down her spine.

Once the initial shock of it had worn off, Misty could enjoy it. He tasted strongly of alcohol, but that did not matter to her in that moment. She was kissing him, something she had dreamed about for years. As Ash moved his lips against her mouth, he ran his fingers through her long hair, taking in her scent. His mind was hazy, desire taking over any rational thought left in him. He wanted her more than anything in that moment. This kiss was what he had needed all along. After what felt like an eternity, they broke apart, leaving Misty breathless.

"Now that that business is taken care of," said Ash. "I'm going to go find Brock. If I don't see you again, have a good night."

Misty said nothing, still stunned by the experience. Before he left, he gave her a swift peck on her forehead, as to say that this would be continued at a later time. Misty felt weightless as she watched him walk away, disappearing from her sight. She stood there for a long time, the memory of the moment lingering on her lips.


	9. Ash forgot the move 'Kiss'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

The next morning, Ash felt like he had been hit by a truck. Every muscle in his body ached. The pounding in his head would not cease, and to make matters worse, the urge to vomit was strong every waking minute. He had bad hangovers before, but nothing like this. He had really overdone it with Brock. Speaking of his friend, Brock had never even made it to a bed, passing out on the floor near the door.

Everything about the night before was a blur to Ash. He could barely remember anything. Bits and pieces came to him, but the last clear memory he had was of Brock trying to pick up some girl. He was not even sure how he managed to get up to his room. Pikachu was nowhere to be found as well. Ash hoped that his oldest buddy was somewhere with Misty, and not stolen by Team Rocket. He tried sitting up, but as it made the room start spinning, then thought better of it. Thankfully, the drapes were still drawn, blocking out the majority of light coming in from outside, which would have only made things worse.

There was a slight, hesitant knock on the door. Ash groaned, not wishing to respond. Brock stirred, but did not leave his spot on the floor. Ash knew that he probably felt just as awful as he did. Whoever was on the other side of the door should leave and never come back. Ash was disappointed to see the door open slowly. Misty poked her head through the opening, peering inside to see if they were still asleep. Ash yanked the covers over his head to block out the light coming in from the hall. He had never felt so horrible in his life. All he wanted in this moment was for the pain to be gone.

Misty opened the door further and tiptoed into the room. Pikachu was with her, following at her heels. The electric Pokémon looked content with a plastic bottle of ketchup in its hands. Misty was happy to supply Pikachu's addiction even though Ash hated that. Pikachu sat near the door, licking the condiment contently as Misty went further into the room. She nearly tripped over Brock on the floor, cursing under her breath. Brock did not wake from the commotion, having the ability to sleep through anything. Misty shook her head at him before moving to the window. With a swift move of her hands, she yanked the curtains open, the bright light crashing into the room like a blinding tsunami. The two men were immediately woken by this, much to their displeasure.

"I didn't do it!" yelled Brock, bolting upright from his spot on the floor.

"Misty, do you mind?" groaned Ash from under the covers. "I'm trying to die here in peace."

"It's not my fault that you decided to drink yourselves into a stupor. No one said that you had to have that much last night. I thought that it was time you got up, considering it is already three in the afternoon."

Misty stood in front of the bed, her hands resting on her hips. Brock rocked back and forth, feeling sick. He held his hand against his mouth, and bolted to the adjoining bathroom, slamming the door behind him. The sounds of him vomiting could be heard throughout the room. Misty wrinkled her nose in disgust, thankful that she had no decided to drink the previous night. She sat on the bed next to Ash. He moaned as he sat up to face her. His hair was a mess, sticking up at all ends.

"G-good morning," she said stuttering as their faces were in close proximity. "I mean afternoon I guess."

Her face felt hot as she thought of when he kissed her. Her mind could not stop perseverating on the feel of his lips against hers. She remembered every single detail with such clarity that it was distracting from her present situation. To make it more difficult, he was shirtless. Her eyes lingered on his bare chest, silently wishing that he would take the rest of his clothes off as well.

Their eyes met, and a shiver ran down Misty's spine. In her opinion, he looked rough; there were bags underneath his eyes as if he had not slept in days. She pitied him, for she knew that it was not entirely his fault. It had been Brock's idea to get trashed in the way that they did. She would also admit to herself that she could be a bit biased toward him, sometimes.

Misty was gorgeous, Ash concluded. Her hair was in a ponytail, a look much more familiar to him, with a few wisps clinging to her face. Her cheeks were tinged pink, and her light skin glowed against the sunlight. His stomach did a somersault at the sight of her. They sat looking at each other, and Ash knew that he was missing something. There was some broken memory about her that he could not captured. He put a vast amount of effort into recalling it, but it proved to be fruitless.

"Mist, what happened last night?" he asked, fearful that he had gone and done something stupid.

"Do you remember anything that happened?"

"No. I'm trying to recall, but nothing is coming to me."

"Oh." Misty hesitated to say anything to him. He did not remember calling her beautiful. He did not remember kissing her. Disappointment rained on her as a monsoon in her heart raged. She fought with herself to relay the events of the party. Should she tell him? What if he only kissed her because he was drunk? What if he never wanted her in that way? She did not know if she could handle that sort of rejection. After years of being without him, she finally had him back. She could not risk their friendship. Losing him again in that way would be devastating.

"Are you going to tell me anything?"

"There's not much to tell," she said, knowing her resolve. "I didn't see you much after you left with Brock."

"Oh did I not find you later like I told you I would?" he asked, rubbing his eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be an ass and leave you the whole night. I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"Ash, relax. You did come and find me like you said you would."

"I did?"

"Yes, you did. We didn't spend long with each other though. I ended up going to bed, and you went to rejoin Brock. I have no idea about what happened after that point because I wasn't there."

"Oh," he said. "Yeah I don't even remember seeing you in the middle of the party. I didn't say anything stupid to you, did I?"

"Don't worry about it," she said. She saw his alarmed expression and quickly backtracked. "I mean you didn't say anything stupid."

"Oh good," he breathed, relieved. The last thing he wanted was to do something stupid in front of _her._

"I'll make you something to help with that hangover," she said, getting off the bed. "Meet me in the kitchen when you're ready. Tell Brock to come down when he's done vomiting. I'll see you then."

"Yeah, sure," he replied as she exited the room with Pikachu at her heels.

Ash and Brock staggered into the kitchen after taking much needed showers. Brock seemed a lot better as the self-purging his body did worked wonders. Ash was a little better, but his head was still pounding. The two walked over to the table to discover a special spread for them. There were two table settings, each complete with eggs and plain toast. Their glasses were filled with water, with a large corresponding pitcher in the middle of the table. Next to each glass were two ibuprofen tablets. Ash experienced a rush of gratitude towards Misty. The two of them were sitting down when she entered the room.

"Oh there you two are," she said, taking a seat next to Ash. "I was beginning to wonder if you were coming down at all."

"Thank you," Ash said, leaning against her shoulder. "This is wonderful."

"Yeah," said Brock in agreement before taking a bite of toast. "We owe you."

"Uh sure," she said, her pulse quickening at Ash's touch. "No problem."

Ash lifted up from off her, causing Misty to exhale in relief. He picked the medicine off the table and popped it into his mouth before taking a big swig of water. Misty sat there, silent, as she watched her friends eat the meal she had prepared. Brock rambled on about this one girl who had given him her number. Misty thought that she must have been wasted because there was no way she would have done that sober. She smiled as she watched them. It was great to have them back together again, as if no time had gone and nothing had changed. Yet, a lot had changed. Since when had Ash grown into this mature adult? In the past couple of months, from Misty's perspective, he seemed to concern himself with her way more than he ever did when they traveled together as kids. She thought that she would have argued with him more, but that is not what happened.

"Thanks again, Mist," Ash said as he ruffled her hair affectionately. He got out of his seat, plate in hand. "I'm going to go up and lie down until my head stops hurting."

"Okay," she said. "I hope you feel better."

Ash put his dishes in the sink, and walked out into the hall. He came back through the door almost immediately after, inciting the strange looks from Misty and Brock. He stared at Misty intently.

"If I feel better later, do you want to take a walk around town? I've been here for a couple of weeks, and I've barely been out. I need to go and stretch my legs, I think. I'm sure you could use a break from the gym, considering how busy you've been since getting back. What do you say?"

"Sure…"

"Great," he said, grinning. "I'll see you later tonight."

He left again without another word. Misty stared at the empty doorway, chewing on the meaning of what he had just said. It was not like him to ask her to walk with him like that. He did not even invite Brock, who was right there with them. Maybe he did remember after all? The thought of that alarmed her. She turned back around to see Brock giving her a look.

"What?" she said.

"I know," he said, smiling.

"Know what?"

"That you and Ash made out last night."

"What?!" she yelped, shooting out of her seat.

"I saw you two. I mean I didn't want to interrupt, so I went back to the party, but I know what I saw. He kissed you."

"You remember that?"

"Yeah of course I do. I'm not Ash, you know. So what's been going on between you two, anyway?"

"Nothing," Misty said quickly. "That was the only thing that ever happened."

"Are you going to talk to him about it?"

"No of course not. It was a drunken kiss. I'm sure you would even kiss someone you weren't attracted to with enough alcohol in you."

"But—"

"I'm not going to say something, and that's final," she snapped. "And neither are you. You understand?"

"All right, fine," he said, getting out of his seat. "I won't say anything to him. I wish that you two would cut the bullshit and get together already. I'm going to go see if your sisters need any help with anything. I'll catch up with you later, Misty."

She watched as he tossed the plate in the sink and sauntered out of the room, much like Ash had done minutes previously. She sighed, picking up the remaining items on the table. She placed the ketchup, butter, and water back inside the refrigerator. After wiping down the table, she moved onto the dishes. Part of her wanted to rush up to Ash's room and divulge everything to him. However, she knew better. Instead, she exhausted her pent-up sexual frustration by scrubbing the pans.

 

Later that night, Ash walked to Misty's room, alone. Pikachu did not want to come, choosing to sleep on Ash's bed instead. His Pokémon was getting pretty lazy these days, he had decided. However, that was his fault for giving up on training over the past couple of months. He could not truly blame Pikachu for becoming complacent. As he approached her door, butterflies became present in his stomach. He cursed his nerves, knowing that they should not be doing this to him. It was only Misty after all. They were friends, nothing more. Then why did he have this strange desire to kiss her?

He swallowed the lump in his throat before knocking on the door. He heard footsteps rush to the door before it opened to reveal Misty in front of him. She gestured for him to come inside as she walked back to her dresser. She was putting on a pair of earrings to go with the aqua dress she was now wearing. She caught him staring at him and blushed.

"So um are you ready to go?" Ash said feeling a little underdressed.

"Yeah," she said. "Just let me grab my handbag."

"Why are you so dressed up?" he asked as she snatched it from under the covers of her bed, which were strewn in all different directions.

"Oh well, you haven't been around with me in town lately. I forgot. The paparazzi has a tendency of finding me when I go out, so I've gotten into the habit of dressing up, so I at least know the pictures that go out will go look decent. Sorry I forgot to tell you."

"Ah."

"Where's Pikachu?"

"Sleeping."

"He's getting lazy these days, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Come on," said Misty, grabbing Ash's hand and pulling him out of her room. "Let's go."

It was a cool autumn night, a gentle breeze greeting them as they walked past various shops and restaurants. Ash and Misty walked together, a bit awkwardly, silent except when she would occasionally point out something new in town. They stopped by the Pokemon Center, spending some time talking with Nurse Joy. Misty would occasionally check in to see if there were any injured or abandoned water Pokemon that she could take in at the gym. She looked a little disappointed when she found out that there weren't any. Ash offered to catch her a new Pokemon, but she said it was okay.

They continued on their way, passing by couples holding hands and stealing kisses. Ash wondered if she thought that this was a date. He did not think it was a date because if it were, he would have taken her to the best restaurant—put out all of the stops. Besides, they were friends. Friends do not go out on dates. He was lost in thought when a young man approached the two of them.

"Misty Waterflower," the man said.

"Uh yes?" she responded, confused. She had never met this man before in her life.

"I think that you're beautiful," he said. "Would you go out on a date with me?"

"Uhhh," she said, caught off guard, even though this was something to which she had been accustomed. She peaked at Ash from the corner of her eye. Confusing Misty, his eyes were sending daggers at the man.

"Please say yes!"

"I'm flattered, but I'll have to decline," Misty said politely.

"Why? Are you seeing someone already? Is it him?" he said, pointing to Ash.

"Who? Ash?" said Misty. "No, we're just friends. I'm not seeing anyone though."

"Then why won't you go on a date with me?" the man asked forcefully.

"Look I don't even really know you."

"You could get to know me."

"Are you not listening?" snapped Ash, coming in the middle of the two. "She's not interested in going out with you. So take a hike!"

"Whatever," the guy grumbled. "You're not that pretty anyway."

He sulked off, his hands stuffed into his pocket. Fists clenched, Ash watched him leave, determined to keep an eye on him until he disappeared from view. Misty sighed, sitting on a nearby bench. She rested her feet on the edge of the aging wood and tucked her body. She hated when those situations happened, though it could have been worse. Sometimes guys tried to grab her, and she would have to practice her self-defense moves.

"Thanks Ash," she said.

"It's no trouble," he said, joining her on the bench. "Does that happen to you often?"

"Once in a while," she shrugged. "I've gotten used to it."

"I don't know how you can stand it."

"Now you see why I don't go out often."

"Do you want me to go back and punch him?" he said standing up. "Because I'd be happy to!"

"Ash, sit down," she said, pulling on his arm. "That won't be necessary."

"Well it would make me feel better," Ash grumbled.

"Look," Misty said, grabbing his hand. "Let's go back, and we can watch a movie with Brock and my sisters. That'll cheer you up."

"I guess. What if that guy comes back?"

"Well you can punch him out then if you want."

"All right."

They stood and headed back in the direction of the gym. Ash gave suspicious glares to any men who passed them, including ones on dates with other girls. Misty, although she firmly believed that she was her own person and did not belong to anyone, had to admit that it was rather sweet that he wanted to protect her from the perverts out there. The stars twinkling and dancing above them in the midnight blue sky, they strolled back to the gym, hand in hand.


	10. Pokemon Paparazzi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

The next morning, Misty was sitting at the breakfast table with Brock. Ash had yet to come downstairs, and Misty did not have the heart to disturb him. They had started watching a movie with Brock and her sisters like Misty had promised; however, Ash left mid-way, complaining that he had a headache. She wondered if he was telling the truth. Part of her suspected that he was in a bad mood instead.

Misty was in the middle of taking a bite of toast when Daisy rushed in, looking frazzled. There was a newspaper clutched in her hands, her knuckles turning white. She stood for a moment, staring at the two of them, biting her lip.

"Daisy, what's wrong?" Misty asked, unable to take the tension.

"We, like, have a bit of a problem."

"They're everywhere!" shouted Violet as she rushed into the kitchen.

"Who's everywhere?" demanded Misty.

"Like, all the reporters."

"What?"

"It might have something to do with this," Daisy said, handing the newspaper over to her youngest sister.

Misty hesitated as she unfurled the local tabloid. Her eyes grew as wide as saucers when she saw the front page. Above the picture of Ash and her from the night before, the headline read:

**Does the Cerulean City Gym Leader have a new Beau?**

Mortified, Misty read on:

_Last night, there were reports of Misty Waterflower, Cerulean City Gym leader, walking around with a mysterious young man. Many immediately recognized him as Ash Ketchum, Pokemon trainer and co-star to Ms. Waterflower in the Cerulean Gym's latest production. The two recently starred in the production of The Little Mermaid, performed two days ago to a sold-out crowd. The two stole the show, but is that all that Ketchum has stolen? It seems to the public that he may have taken her heart as well._

_Reports of the two walking hand-in-hand came from multiple residents, downtown. Eye-witnesses tell our reporters that there was an altercation between the couple and another man. When the man asked Waterflower on a date, Ketchum became possessive and scared him away. "You should have seen it," said one woman, who wished to keep her identity anonymous. "If it weren't for Misty, Ash probably would have punched the guy." The question remains – why would he be jealous if they were not a couple? We'll let you make that conclusion for yourself._

_We would also like to point out (to be continued on page 5)_

Brock had been reading over her shoulder the whole time. Misty frantically flipped the pages until she reached the correct one. Her eyes quickly found the read of the story, and she continued to read:

_(Continued from front page) that the two were spotted dancing together at the show's after-party, also held at the Cerulean Gym. Who knows what else they could have been doing that night when no one was looking? Rumor has it that Ketchum has been staying with the Waterflowers for the past few weeks. We have yet to receive comment from either Waterflower or Ketchum._

Misty set down the paper slowly, trying to swallow the lump that had managed to form in the back of her throat. Brock said nothing, fearful that he would say something to set her off. The second slice of toast lay uneaten, as Misty has lost her appetite. She knew that the tabloids would be releasing something, but not this. It was making her head hurt. She could hide this from Ash, but for how long? It was not as if she could destroy every paper in existence.

"Does Ash know about this yet?" she asked, looking at her three sisters.

"We haven't seen him this morning," Violet said. "We've been kind of busy preventing all of the paparazzi from coming into the gym."

"Yeah, they like weren't even interested in talking to us about the show," Lily added. "They only wanted to talk about you and Ash."

"This can't be happening," Misty groaned, banging her head on the table. Brock suppressed a laugh, only to be answered by her glaring expression. "This isn't funny!"

"I'm sorry, Misty, but it seems like this is karma for not telling Ash about the other night."

"That has nothing to do with this!"

"Wait," said Daisy, her gaze diverting back and forth between Misty and Brock. "What happened?"

"Not a word!" Misty shouted, pointing a finger accusingly at Brock. He ignored her.

"Oh she and Ash made-out at the after-party, but he doesn't remember, and she won't tell him."

"What?!" said Lily.

"Misty!" said Violet.

"Look," snapped Misty, her fiery personality coming to surface. "He was drunk, and does not remember it ever happening, and that's how it's going to stay. Not a word from any of you!"

"But Misty—"

"I mean it! I will send my Gyarados after you."

Daisy opened her mouth to protest, but the appearance of a certain yellow mouse stopped her short. Pikachu zoomed into the kitchen happily. He swiftly jumped onto the table and made a beeline to the ketchup. Misty smiled, sighing softly, and flipped the cap open for the addict. Pikachu cheered gleefully and started licking the opening greedily. Ash walked through the door moments later. He was wearing a plain t-shirt and jeans, but the part of his wardrobe that caught Misty's attention immediately was the hat.

Over the past couple of months, Misty had become accustomed to a hat-less Ash. To see one on his head was disconcerting to say the least; however, this was not just _any_ hat. It was _that one_ , the official Pokemon League hat for which he had to send a million postcards. Misty had not seen that hat in years, at least not on his head. It had been sitting in…her room! When was he in her room? She became even more anxious, thinking about the diary she had tucked away in a drawer.

"Where did you find that?" she asked casually, pointing up to the hat.

"My hat?" Ash said as he took a seat next to Misty. "Pikachu gave it to me this morning. I have no idea where he found it though."

"Oh."

"So what's with all the people outside?" Ash asked before snatching Misty's uneaten toast and taking a bite.

"Um…"

Misty paused for a moment, weighing her options. Either way, it was not looking that good. Resigned, she handed Ash the paper without a word. His eyebrows furrowed as he gazed at her intensely. He took it hesitantly, and then averted his eyes from her down to the paper. No one said a word while he read, anxious for his reaction. His face did not change as his eyes flew down the page. He turned the pages without a word and finished reading the story. The only thing that Misty could hear was her own heart hammering in her chest.

"Well that's ridiculous," Ash finally said as he set the tabloid down. "That guy was being a creep, and they get that we're dating from that?"

"So you're not mad?" Misty asked.

"Why would I be mad about this? It's laughable really. I can see why you don't go out that often."

Truthfully, Ash was unsure of how he felt about the article. He had dated before, unknown to Misty, and part of him was not ready to go through that again. However, there was a piece of him that considered it immensely. The past couple of months with Misty made him feel more like his old-self, and by that, he meant how he was before he even started dating. He was not sure exactly what it was that he felt for his oldest friend, except that when he looked at her, he could not help but be happy.

Then there was that fear still present. There was a fear of rejection, yes, for he did not know if Misty would want him as anything more than her friend. He was well aware of _her_ dating history, yet she had never once mentioned the subject of the two of them as a couple. As far as he knew, she would never consider him. However, there was a bigger and more ingrained fear within him. What if they did end up dating, and Ash fell in love with her only to break up down the road? He knew that it would crush him more so than his current situation. This was _Misty_. She had always been there for him when he needed her. She was always there pushing him to be his very best. If they were to go through a bad break up, would she even be there after that? To Ash, his friendship with her was too important to gamble like that. He couldn't ask her about where they stood. He just couldn't do it.

"Oh yeah," started Daisy. "We forgot to, like, mention it to you, but—"

"There's a challenger in the gym," finished Lily.

"What?" said Misty, jumping up from her chair. The force of her movements rocked the glasses on the table, causing some of the contents to spill over the tops. She ignored the river of orange juice beginning to form on the table. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"We forgot," Violet admitted. "But it's not that big of a deal. It's only that kid who has had only a half dozen rematches. If it were me, I would have quit by now."

"It doesn't matter," said Misty. "I have to accept every challenge, and now you've made the poor kid wait. I'll see you later."

She ran out the door, leaving the other five people to clean up the flow of orange juice that had now found its way to the floor.

 

"Starmie, use Rapid Spin!"

Misty's Pokemon was currently caught in the vines of her opponent's Weepinbell. Starmie spun its body around quickly. It managed to free itself and dove back into the water. The young boy named Michael as Misty learned over the past few weeks had already won one round. At this rate, he was going to finally get the badge he had long coveted. His Weepinbell was a new addition, as Misty had never seen it before this match.

Not that it would have mattered in normal circumstances. Misty had beaten plenty of grass Pokemon, even stronger than this Weepinbell, with ease. Her thoughts were disconnected pieces, unable to form together. Her skills as a trainer were off—her reaction time vastly compromised. The problem was the reporters outside. Her sisters had to lock the doors, and cancel the rest of her challenges for the day. This would be her single battle that day, yet she was already exhausted. Why couldn't they leave her alone? She detested all of the attention. She never had a moment to herself anymore, especially in her own hometown. She longed for the days of her childhood traveling with Ash and Brock.

"Weepinbell, leech seed!"

"Starmie, dive in the water!" shouted Misty, but it was too late.

She hesitated, too distracted by thoughts of Ash and all the people outside, and that had been her downfall. The attack hit Starmie, the seed hitting the jewel in the middle of its body. Thin vines shot out of it, and red light began to flash, as Starmie's body grew limp. The redhead sighed and called back her Pokemon, admitting defeat. Michael stood in stunned silence before jumping up and down in unbridled enthusiasm. Misty gave a small smile. It reminded her of Ash when they were young. Speaking of her best friend, he had appeared at the other end of the pool as the match was ending. For Misty, it stung a bit for him to witness her defeat.

"Well, you finally won," she said with a strained smile, walking up to Michael.

"Yeah. I owe it all to Weepinbell," he said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly, just the way that Ash did. She missed watching him battle.

"Here," she said, handing him a Cascade Badge. "As proof of your victory, I present you with this Cascade Badge." It had been a while since Misty had actually given out one of these.

Ash caught up to the two at that point, greeting Michael. The young trainer showed Ash his new badge to be met with congratulations. The older man tried to discreetly grab Misty's hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze in comfort, knowing that it was hard for her to lose. She whipped her head in his direction, her eyes wide. Michael noticed the gesture, and titled his head.

"Are you two boyfriend and girlfriend?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"Well I saw that picture in the paper this morning…is it true?"

"No, we're just really great friends," said Ash before Misty had a chance to open her mouth. "She's my best friend."

"Oh."

"Yeah, besides girls are icky. Pokemon are so much better!"

"You bet!" exclaimed Michael, giving a toothy grin. "There's this girl who follows me around everywhere. She's so annoying. How do I get rid of her?"

"Oh…well," started Ash. "I wouldn't get rid of her."

"What? Why not?"

"Girls are pretty smart. I'm sure she could help you a lot. You never know. You could end up being really good friends."

"Heh," said Michael. "I guess you might be right. Thanks for advice. I better get going! I have more badges to earn! Bye!"

"Bye!" Ash and Misty shouted together as Michael ran out of the gym.

"Are you okay?"

Ash's words came crashing down on Misty. He knew that she was not okay. He cared enough to ask her about it. What would she do without him? She started crying incessantly, panicking Ash at first. He stood there, paralyzed, unsure what to do. She threw herself into his chest, all of her pain racking her body. She wanted to run away, and never look back. All she wanted was the freedom from this life and Ash. All she ever wanted for half of her life was Ash.

And he was there. Stunned at first, Ash eventually wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. There was a deep longing in his heart. It pained him to see her this way. He wanted for everything to go away that was hurting her. He wanted to make it better. He knew that he would never be good enough for her, but he was willing to try. As she cried in his arms, a plan began to formulate in his head.

 

Everyone was seated at the dinner table later that night. Misty found it odd because with their varying schedules, this rarely happened. Brock had done the cooking with Daisy's help. All of Misty's favorite foods were in front of her. She knew that they were trying to make her feel better. It was touching really. Pikachu remained glued to her lap. She absent-mindedly stroked behind his ear, causing contented "chas" to be emitted from his mouth.

"Misty, we need to have a little chat with you," Daisy said as she sat down across from her sister. She looked at Ash for a bit of courage before continuing. "We think that you should take a few weeks off from the gym."

"What?" said Misty, shocked. "Is this because I lost today? I swear it was a fluke."

"That has nothing to do with it," said Violet.

"Yeah," said Lily. "We're worried about you. I doubt that this thing with the paparazzi is going to blow over in one night."

"She's right," said the oldest. "It might be best if you go away somewhere until things die down."

"You mean you're forcing me to leave the gym?" Misty said, getting defensive.

"We think that you should consider it. The break would be, like, good for you, you know. We hate to see you sad like this."

"Yeah, but what about the gym?"

"Don't worry about it. Things are slowing down around here anyway. We can handle it."

"What do you think?" Misty asked, turning to her best friend.

The truth of the situation was that it was Ash's idea in the first place. He and Misty watched a movie in her room after she had stopped crying, although the movie had made her sob more. She eventually fell asleep, and Ash shut off the TV to let her nap. He immediately went to her sisters with this plan. He knew that traveling around the way that they did years ago would make her happy again. He would have asked her, but he thought that she would be less resistant to the idea they approached her with it. He knew that she needed to be reassured that the gym was okay. It was endearing that she cared so much about it.

"I think it could be fun," he replied with a smile. "And I'd come of course."

"Me too," Brock chimed in.

"Really guys?"

"Yeah of course," said Brock. "It'll be just like old times."

"Where do you want to go?"

"I was thinking about the Sevii Islands," Ash said. "I've never been there, and I heard that it's a really nice place to visit."

"There's a ferry that runs from Vermillion to the area," said Brock.

"I guess it's settled then," Ash said with a smile. "We leave in the morning."

"Are you sure about this?" Misty asked, turning to her sisters.

"Go," said Daisy.

"Everything will be fine," Violet said.

"Have some fun," Lily added.

"Thanks."

Misty cracked the first genuine smile she had all day. She was going to get out of here. She was going to get away from all of the people who would not leave her alone. Brock and Ash would be going with her to a new place. It was going to be like it once was. She ate her dinner feeling elated, knowing that there was a new adventure out there. Perhaps this time, she would not look back.


	11. Misty used 'Sing'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.
> 
> "Even Though" music and lyrics by Darren Criss

It was a gorgeous fall morning. It was a little cool, especially with the breeze coming off of the water. The ferry going to the Sevii Islands rocked against the water. The smell of salt water pervaded the air, reaching Misty's nose. A tiny smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. It had been a while since she had experienced such freedom. A gleeful sigh escaped from her lips as she melted into the rail. She was so happy that her sisters suggested going on a break. Although she felt a little guilty for leaving the gym, Misty knew that she needed this. It was not the work that came with being a gym leader that was the problem. Instead, it was the hours of dealing with the press. All Misty wanted was a quiet life. She loved being a gym leader, but she was beginning to wonder if it was all worth it. This one taste of adventure was testing her resolve to fulfill her duties.

Ash and Brock stood on the deck next to the young woman. Brock was busy watching all of the women walking around on the ship, whilst Ash was more concerned with observing Misty. He smiled when he saw her contented face, knowing that it had been the right thing to do. It was still a little painful to be on a boat like this, knowing that the last time he spent time on a ship like this was when his ex-girlfriend had dumped him. Thinking about it, he rubbed his temples, remembering the uncomfortable two days stuck on the boat with her. Every time he had seen her, he had attempted to win her back. It had resulted into multiple public rejections and continued embarrassment. However, though it was months ago, and Ash thought that he should be past it at that point, it was still painful to think about.

Ash had been lost to his thoughts when he heard a couple of voices whispering behind him. He turned to see a young man and woman talking to each other in low voices a few feet in front of him, staring at Misty. The man was about Brock's height. He had tan skin and chocolate brown hair. His eyes were bright green, and they seemed to dance at the sight of Misty, bothering Ash for some reason. The woman with him was much shorter, her frame tiny. Ash was certain that he could break her in half like a twig if he wanted. She had short, sleek black hair. It was styled in a short bob, ending at her jawline. Her green eyes sparkled and danced gleefully as the two approached Misty.

"Excuse me," the man said, causing Misty to turn around.

"Uh, yes?"

"I hope we're not intruding, but we were wondering something," said the woman. "Are you Misty Waterflower?"

The question alarmed Misty. She had gone on this trip to get away from people. Already she had people recognize her and asking her questions. She nodded her head, unable to speak a single word. Ash jumped into the conversation, sensing the impending meltdown.

"Why? If you're here to bother her, then you can just leave."

"Oh not at all," said the man. "I guess we should introduce ourselves. My name is Kingston and this is Kendra."

Brock, who had been too busy staring at some woman on the other side of the deck to notice the present conversation, became alert by the mention of her name. He immediately turned around, and his expression changed, becoming one of infatuation, very much like the one he wore years ago. Misty rolled her eyes, for she knew where this was going.

"Kendra!" he shouted, causing her to jump. "That is such a beautiful name."

"Thank you," she said, uncertainly.

"I was wondering if a lovely lady like you would like to have dinner with me tonight?" Brock asked, taking her hands into his.

"I'm sorry," she said, doing her best to be polite. "I'm not really interested."

It was the same as every other time Brock was rejected by a woman. He got that dejected look on him and became a bit withdrawn. Misty sighed and shrugged her shoulders. Kingston cleared his throat.

"Anyway," he said. "We were wondering if we could ask you for a favor?"

"What do you need from me?"

"Well you have experience with performing, correct?"

"Yeah, we did a show at the gym recently."

"We have a bit of a problem," Kingston said. "You see, Kendra and I have a show that we do on a ship once a week. Yesterday, Kendra lost her singing voice. The doctor on board checked her vocal chords this morning and said that she'll be fine. She needs to rest her voice for a few days, a week at most. Our show is tonight, and we thought that we would have to cancel it, but then we saw you."

"What can I do to help?"

"We were wondering," Kendra interjected, "if you would be so kind, Misty, to fill in for me tonight."

"Me? Sing?" she said, her voice going up an octave.

"I'm sure that you have a lovely voice," Kendra said with a smile.

"Please, Misty," said Kingston. "We would really appreciate it."

"Sure," she replied, resigning to the face that she probably would not relax on this break, after all.

"Great!" Kingston beamed, grabbing her hand and pulling her away from Ash and Brock. "We better get going then. We have a lot of rehearsing to do before tonight."

"I guess I'll see you later!" Misty shouted as she was yanked away by Kingston with Kendra tailing behind them.

"Bye," said Ash, almost inaudibly.

As he watched the three leave with Misty's hand nestled into Kingston's, he experienced a twinge of jealousy. He wanted to spend the afternoon with Misty. Ash had been so excited to go somewhere with her. It had been years since they had the freedom to travel around together. The thought of her spending hours with another guy made his stomach bunch up in a knot. He wondered if that feeling was normal when concerned about a friend, or if it meant that she was more important to him than that. Of which one it was, he wasn't sure.

 

Ash and Brock had not seen Misty for the remainder of the day. Kendra had found them in the middle of the afternoon. She told them that Misty would need all of the time before the show to prepare. Ash felt disappointed, but Kendra reassured him, saying that it was completely necessary, and that she wished that she could be outside on the deck with him. Since he did not know Kendra all that well, he was not sure if she was being truthful or being nice.

It was later that day at dinner. Brock had gotten his wish for Kendra had joined them in the dining room that evening. The show was meant to go on during the dinner rush, and she was anxious to see how Misty did. Even though she sat through rehearsals, she admitted to the two men that she was nervous for Misty. Ash asked how she did that afternoon, but Kendra brushed off his question, stating that he would have to wait and see for himself. He was stabbing his steak forcefully when the lights slowly faded into darkness and the spot light illuminated the stage.

_"Ladies and gentlemen, before we start tonight's performance, we would like to notify you of a change in the program. Due to illness, Kendra Woodberry will not be able to perform with Kingston Jones this evening. Taking her place is Misty Waterflower. Now without further adieu, we present tonight's entertainment."_

The audience clapped politely, except for the young man, sitting front in center. Ash was more than excited at that point. After months of being with Misty the majority of each day, he was deprived of his favorite red head. At that point, he even missed arguing with her. It had been oddly quiet that afternoon. Brock would ask his opinion on the ladies, and Ash could only nod his head in agreement, his mind on other things.

Kingston stepped onto stage to the sounds of a few whistles, most likely coming from a few fangirls up in front. He gave them a wink as Misty emerged in the center of the stage. She was wearing a long blue dress that had an intricate pattern flowing from the backside of the dress, giving the appearance of a fish. Her hair was made into large spiral curls, which rippled over her bare shoulders. If she was nervous, Ash could not tell.

The two began to sing an upbeat song, and Ash was flummoxed at the sound that flowed from her lips. In all the years that he had known her, he never heard her sing, except for a few bars when they first met Jigglypuff over a decade ago. The opportunity never presented itself. Her voice was gorgeous. Of course it was. Everything about her was stunning. Ash knew that he would never be able to compare. It bothered him seeing her standing next to someone as handsome as Kingston singing love duets. He contemplated ordering a bunch of liquor and drowning his sorrows when Kendra started talking.

"I wouldn't worry too much about Misty and Kingston, Ash," she said before taking a sip of her cosmo.

"What?" Ash asked, alarmed. "How did you know—"

"It's written all over your face. I can tell that you like her."

"Of course I like her. She's my best friend," Ash said.

"You know that's not what I mean."

"Well—"

"See? This is what I have to deal with all the time," Brock interrupted. "It can be so exhausting."

"It's not like that, Brock."

"Besides," continued Kendra. "Kingston would not view Misty that way because he's in love with me."

"So are you two together then?" Ash asked.

"No," Kendra replied. "He tries to convince me that we should be together all the time. It's not like I never thought about it seriously. We work so well together, and I'm afraid that if it ends horribly that we won't be able to perform with each other. Singing and putting on these shows are my passion. I couldn't see myself doing anything other than this. That includes doing it with Kingston."

"I understand," Ash said, thinking about how his last relationship ended. "You don't want to mess up what you already have."

"I'm glad to see that someone sees what I mean," said Kendra. "Everyone else on board seems to keep pushing me to give him what he wants. We may be best friends, and he means a lot to me; however, that does not mean that I owe him anything."

Ash turned his attention back to the show, Kendra's words on his mind. He observed the dynamic between Kingston and Misty. She did her best to engage with the whole audience, while at the same time, Kingston seem preoccupied with connecting with Kendra. Throughout each song, he consistently stared at her sitting with Ash and Brock. Ash saw her avoid his eyes most of the time, choosing to look at Misty. She was right. He had it bad. The behavior went on for nearly an hour.

"Thanks a lot of all of your support," Kingston said. "This is going to be our last song this evening. I'd like to give a special thanks to Misty for helping us out and filling in for Kendra this evening."

There was a round of applause. Misty's cheeks flushed red as she gave a small bow. Kingston chuckled and smiled at her before taking to the microphone again. The music began to play as he started to sing.

" _Even though I was blind before._

_I've realized there is so much more._

_And it was always deep down in the core of me. I know it now._

_And even though it seems too much to take, there's a feeling I can't seem to shake._

_I feel like I'm reading the signs, cause I know that I'm coming around."_

As Kingston sang the words, Ash looked at Misty. She caught his eye and reciprocated with a small smile. Something inside of him shifted. There was a feeling that he could not escape, no matter how hard he tried. She had trapped him into her web, though she may not have even known what she was doing. One look at her, and his heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, everything changed.

" _I thought I wanted someone perfect as could be._

_When what I needed was the one, who was perfect for me._

_Even though it used to seem so wrong,_

_I've taken you for granted far too long._

_I'm falling right into the denouement._

_And now, I'm breaking ground."_

Kingston's voice singing the words resonated with Ash. It was as if he was talking directly to him, waking up his brain, telling him to pay attention to what was in front of him. He had taken Misty for granted all of these years. She had been there for him from the beginning—from the first day he became a Pokemon trainer. He would have been dead if it weren't for her. He would not have lasted as long without her guiding him. She was there supporting him and encouraging him. She taught him so much about everything, not just Pokemon. He learned how to be a better person and to slow down and not act so rashly because of her. He would not be the person he was if it were not for her. It was always her. Suddenly, he knew that he had feelings for her. Deep down, he always knew, but he had chosen to ignore his instincts for years.

" _Even though I felt it from the start,"_ Kingston sang as Misty joined him.

" _It's only now we're beating with one heart._

_I'm sure that now it's the time_

_Cause I know that I'm,_

_The sun is starting to shine._

_Cause I know that I'm,_

_I'm coming around."_

As they finished their last duet, the audience clapped. The lights dimmed and Ash had the desire to tell her how he felt. She deserved to know. He stood up, confusing Brock and Kendra. The two looked at each other and shrugged at his behavior. Misty was busy helping Kingston taking down the microphones on stage when Ash found her. She was more beautiful up close. A rush of nerves flowed through Ash's body. Kendra's words resonated in him one more time. Fear overtook him. What if she rejected him? Would it make things awkward for them from now on? He did not want to ruin this journey before it even began. Panic was overtaking him as Misty saw him. She sat on the edge of the stage and slid off of it to join him.

"Hey Ash!" she exclaimed as she threw her arms around him. "What did you think of the show? How did I do?"

"You were great," he said, wrapping his arms around her. His heart was thumping loudly against his chest. "The audience loved you."

"Thanks," she beamed as she broke away from him. "I need to finish helping Kingston break down the set."

"Wait," he said, grabbing her hand. "I need to tell you something."

"What?" she said, turning back to face him.

"Well…"

"Yes?"

"I um—"

"Ash what is it? I don't have the time to fool around here."

"Did you know that Kingston is in love with Kendra, but she doesn't want to date him?" Ash said, blurting out the first thing that came to him.

"Yes, I know. Kingston went on about it all afternoon once Kendra had left. Was that it?"

"Yeah, sorry."

"We'll catch up after I'm finished. I won't be long."

"Yeah sure."

He walked away from the stage, the uneasy sensation settling in his stomach. He went over to her to tell her, and he failed miserably. He couldn't do it. Pulling the trigger was harder than he thought. Feelings of inadequacy invaded his being and obstructed his determination to tell her. He sat down in his seat and put his head down on the table. Anything Brock or Kendra said did not matter. He choked, plain and simple. Ash knew that he would have to spend this entire trip working to prove that he was good enough for her, using any means possible.


	12. Brock Used 'Attract'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

A week had gone by and the three were staying on the biggest island in the Sevii Islands. They were fortunate that this island had a large Pokémon center with a few rooms for travelers. They were sleeping in a room on the second floor of the center, overlooking the ocean. The volcano was also visible from their window. It stood tall against the horizon, making Misty a bit uneasy. She thought of Blaine and his riddles. She thought about his gym relocating to the Seafoam Islands because the volcano on Cinnabar had erupted, destroying most of the island.

Ash had not told Misty about his affections toward her. He kept his emotions locked away, protected from the potential hurt they could bring. He learned to live in the moment and enjoy the time he had with Misty. Memories of their travels together pervaded his head, carrying nostalgia with them. There were times where Brock would go chase after a girl on the island, allowing for the two to have some alone time together. Misty often babbled about her Pokémon or some of the adventures of being a gym leader that she had experienced over the past few years. Ash would sit and listen to her until she would stop herself, realizing that he was staring at her the whole time. She would blush and question why he was not saying anything. He would then reply that he was listening to her. It would confuse her for moment, taking her aback by the maturity that Ash had acquired, but then she would continue on with her story.

One morning Ash and Misty were walking downstairs in the Pokémon Center to get breakfast. There was a small dining hall that served a nice little buffet. Ash had a tendency of stuffing his face every morning when they would go. Misty then would tease him, asking if he was bulking up for the winter or something. The truth was that it amazed her. Just where did he put it all? They were walking past the front desk when Nurse Joy stopped them.

"Oh Misty," she said. "You have a message here."

"Huh? Who's it from?"

"Daisy Oak," replied Nurse Joy. "She wanted you to call her back right away. She said that it was urgent."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," said Misty.

"It's my pleasure," she said before returning to her work.

Misty headed in the opposite direction, making a beeline to the videophones in the corner of the front lobby. Ash stopped in his tracks. He had continued to go toward the dining hall, but soon realized that his best friend was not with him. Sighing in disappointment, he went to join Misty with Pikachu perched on his shoulder. His stomach grumbled as he caught up to her. She was dialing the number into the phone.

"Do you have to call her now?" Ash groaned. "Can't it wait until after breakfast?"

"She said that it was urgent," Misty retorted. "You can hold on a few minutes."

"I'm going to die of starvation," he moaned, flopping down on the seat next to her.

"No, you're not," she said as the phone rang. "You can go without me, you know. Don't be such a b—oh hi Daisy."

"So you got my message!" she exclaimed on the other end. "Hi Ash!"

"Hi," he muttered, not caring to look at the one who caused a delay on breakfast.

"What is so urgent, Daisy?" Misty asked.

"Oh yeah! I have a question for you! I called the gym yesterday, but your sisters told me that you're in the Sevii Islands, so there you go."

"What's this question?"

"Oh right!" Daisy shouted on the other end. Pikachu had to block his ears because she was so loud. "I was wondering, Misty, and you can say no if you want—"

"Just spit it out already!" Misty yelled, causing Ash and Pikachu to jump.

"Will you be my Maid of Honor?"

"Me? Your Maid of Honor?"

"Yeah! C'mon, what do you say?"

"Sure, I guess…" Misty replied, and Daisy squealed and clapped her hands together in response.

"Oh and Ash," Daisy continued. "Tracey wanted me to ask you to be his best man. He'd ask you himself, but he's busy out in the field with Grandpa at the moment."

"Why does he want me to be his best man?" Ash asked, surprised. Surely, there was someone better suited for the duty than him.

"Tracey and I talked about it, and we both agree on this. If it weren't for you two, then we would not have met in the first place. So we want both of you to do us this honor. What do you say?"

"If you put it that way," Ash said, scratching the back of his head. "I guess I have no choice."

"Oh Ash! Thank you! Tracey will be so happy to hear that. Now don't stay on this little vacation too long. We have so much to do before the wedding. Tracey and I are planning on having the ceremony at sunset on New Years Eve in the Orange Islands. We're not sure which island yet, but we'll let you know. I have to go now, but be sure to tell Brock that I said hi. I'll talk to you later!"

"Bye Daisy," Misty said, slightly stunned.

The screen on the video went blank, and they sat in silence for a few moments. They had been accosted with a lot of information. Misty did the math in her head. If Daisy really planned on having her wedding on New Year's Eve, then it only left about two and a half months to get everything ready. Was she that insane?

"That was not expected," Misty said, rising from her seat. Ash followed suit.

"It's still crazy to think that they are getting married," he said as they started toward the dining hall.

"Do you ever think about getting married?"

"Huh?" The image of Misty walking toward him in a white wedding dress invaded his head, which he quickly shook away.

"I mean in general."

"I don't know, Misty. I'm only 22."

"I know that. I wasn't sure if guys ever thought about that stuff," Misty said as she gathered the locks of hair flowing down her back and tied them in her signature side-pony.

"All I ever thought about growing up was Pokémon."

"Yes, I know that," Misty grumbled under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," she said quickly, her strides becoming a bit faster.

"Anyway," Ash said, adjusting his gate to match hers. "Have you ever been in a wedding?"

"You mean part of the wedding party?"

"Yeah."

"Lily almost got married once. I was supposed to be a bridesmaid. Violet was going to be her Maid of Honor."

"What?" asked Ash as they reached the dining hall. "When did this happen?"

"A few years ago," she replied as she lifted a plate from the top of a stack. She proceeded to fill it with pancakes and some fruit.

"What happened?" he asked, filling a plate with ketchup for Pikachu. He handed it to the electric mouse, which took it gleefully and waddled with it over to a nearby table.

"He dumped her a couple of months before the wedding. She was crushed."

"How come you never mentioned it?" Ash asked as he began to fill his own plate.

"You were busy training to be a Pokémon Master. I didn't see the need to take up your time with my family drama. Whenever we talked, I was more interested in hearing about your travels than talking about what was going on here. It was nice because it was like I could escape everything for a little bit," she replied before turning to join Pikachu at the table.

Ash finished filling the white porcelain plate with a bit of everything. Once he was satisfied with the amount of food he grabbed, he sauntered over to the two most important beings in his life. As he sat down, Misty started relaying the events of her sister's brief engagement to a man from the coast. As he listened to her story, he thought that if all of his days were like this, then he would be happy for the rest of his life. Misty had that effect on him.

 

After breakfast, the two trainers went out on the beach in order to find Brock. Once Misty got outside, she took one look at the water, and smiled brightly. She pulled her dress over her head and off her body to reveal her signature periwinkle bikini. Ash caught one glimpse of her, and his face grew hot. As they continued their search for Brock, he did his best to think of unpleasant things such as dead puppies or the one time his deceased grandmother told him about what happened on her honeymoon, anything to keep his body from going crazy. He would not have another incident like the one in the pool at the Cerulean Gym.

They found him chatting up a woman in a yellow bikini near the hot springs. The two were chatting, and it appeared that Brock was not being outright rejected. She was about Misty's height. Her hair was brown and gathered together in a high ponytail, making its length indiscernible. The two young adults joined them, waving to Brock as they approached.

"Hey guys! Where have you been?" Brock called when he saw them coming closer.

"We could ask you the same question," said Misty, who gave him a small smirk. "Who's your friend?"

"Oh! This is Nicole," he said, gesturing to the dark-haired beauty. "Nicole, these are my friends, Ash and Misty."

"It's nice to meet you," they said in unison.

"The pleasure is mine," Nicole replied. "Are you enjoying your time here on the island?"

"It's great," said Misty, unable to hide her enthusiasm.

"Since you are all here, perhaps you can help me out with something."

"Whatever it is," Brock jumped in, "we'll be happy to help."

Ash and Misty groaned, knowing that Brock has gotten them in some less than stellar situations because of a girl. They had no choice to agree to help her. Brock had not known this girl for very long. Ash hoped that this girl was not a Gastly or a ghost. He did not know if he could survive another misadventure.

 

Brock stood with Nicole at the front of her small boat. In order to help her, they needed to go to the next island. Ash and Misty sat on the side of the ship with Pikachu, their legs dangling over the edge. The land formation grew larger on the horizon as the sun rose in the sky. It was nearly noon. Ash was anxious to reach the port. Even though this island was considerably smaller, he was excited to do something new. With a renewed wanderlust, Ash was ready for adventure, whether it was the most minuscule of kinds. He was at peace as the waves rocked the boat. His hand brushed against Misty's. As soon as he acknowledged the contact, he recoiled his arm back. He peaked at her in the corner of her eye and saw that she had done the same. They did not speak for the rest of the journey.

They landed on the dock, and Brock pretty much leapt off the boat. He offered Nicole his hand, and she declined, stating that she could get off the boat just fine on her own. Misty and Ash stepped onto the dock, still embarrassed from their awkwardness on board. Pikachu looked up at them and sighed, knowing that it was hopeless.

"Nicole! There you are!" shouted a voice from down the road.

Everyone turned to see a young man sprinting toward the dock. He was tall with a lanky build, towering over the people whom he passed on his way. His hair was brown, with reddish tints that illuminated in the sun. He wore a brilliant smile as he saw Nicole. Once reaching his destination, he doubled-over, catching his breath. He stood, after a few staggered gasps.

"Julian," she replied. "You didn't have to sprint over like that. I was coming to your shop."

"I know," he said. "I couldn't wait to see you."

"Hello," Brock said, coming in between them. "You must be her brother. It is so great to meet you."

"Brother?"

"Brock," Nicole said, suppressing a laugh. "He's not my brother. He's my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" Brock said, his face falling.

Ash couldn't help but suppress a laugh. Misty knew that she should have felt sorry for him, but she didn't. He did this to himself with his rash attitude. Brock fell into despair as he watched the two share a kiss and start walking toward Julian's shop, which was having a hard time getting off the ground.

"I'm so glad that you are all here to help me out," Julian said as they traveled down the road. "I think my biggest problem is getting the word out."

"It's no problem," Ash replied, relieved that there would be no supernatural adventure.

"We're happy to help," Misty added. Brock said nothing.

The three spent the afternoon passing out fliers and encouraging tourists to come visit Julian's shop. Brock used the opportunity to try to find other girls to hit on. Ash and Misty sighed at his behavior, aware that some things never changed. However, Ash knew that other things did change. If his younger self knew that this girl who gave him so much trouble at the beginning of his Pokémon journey would be the one to capture his heart, he would not have believed it. Yet, here was the stomach full of Butterfrees every time he caught a glimpse of her face. He spent days with her, doing something as simple as handing out fliers, and he could not have been more jubilant.


	13. Hello, Old Friend!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

A few days later, Ash, Misty, and Brock decided to spend the day on another island, one bigger than the one with Julian's shop, but smaller than the one on which they were staying. This island had a dense forest famous for its fresh berries. Brock was the one who wanted to check it out so he could find some rare berries, which had healing properties. There was a twinge of excitement inside of Ash. Though the desire to train Pokémon was long forgotten, part of him wanted a new Pokémon. Misty was nervous, almost skipping out on a trip entirely. To her, a forest equated bugs, something that she deemed undesirable. It took a considerable coaxing from Ash, who was kind and sensitive to her situation. Her agreement was contingent upon the knowledge that he would chase the bugs away. With a chuckle, he obliged.

The sun was high in the sky when their boat docked. Pikachu leapt gleefully off the edge of the ship, itching for a new adventure. An old spark ignited in Ash, who followed after his Pokémon. Hesitating, Misty walked on the wooden dock, wishing to have more time on the boat instead. Ash, sensing her reluctance, grabbed her hand and dragged her along with him toward the tiny town, causing Misty's heart to leap from her chest. Ash was oblivious to her flushed face as he marched ahead, not relinquishing her hand for a second.

They were not far from the outskirts of town when they noticed a middle-aged man frantically questioning passersby. Pikachu was the first to notice him, tugging on Ash's shirt, and pointing to the man. Ash approached him, for he knew something was wrong, dragging Misty along with him. Brock, who had been too preoccupied reading the guidebook on the island, caught up with the others with a brief sprint.

"Are you okay?" Ash asked the man.

"My daughter is missing," he replied, pacing up and down the road.

"Your daughter?" Misty asked.

"Yes, Becky. She's seven, and she has dark brown hair and green eyes. She's about this tall," he said, putting his hand to his mid-thigh. "Have you seen her?"

"No, we arrived in town a few minutes ago," Ash said. "We can help you look for her."

"I'm afraid that she went into the Berry Forest alone. She's been asking me for weeks now to take her, but I've been too busy with my shop to do it. There's quite a few dangerous Pokémon, and she'll have no way of defending herself. You are all Pokémon trainers, right?"

"Yes," said Misty. "We'll go search for her in the forest. C'mon, you two."

"Right," Brock and Ash said.

The three trainers jogged through the tiny town. It did not take long before they reached the road that led to the forest. With the forest within their eyesight, just beyond a small bridge, they slowed their pace to a walk. Ash and Brock paused briefly to catch their breaths. The three continued onward, entering the vast grove of trees.

"Becky!" Misty started to call as the moved further into the forest.

"Becky!" Ash began to shout as well. He opened his mouth to call the girl's name again, but something flew past him, stopping him short.

With a flash of pink, Ash witnessed a Pokémon flying through the trees. Misty and Brock were turned in another direction, so they did not see it. It was in his area for only a few seconds, but he was certain that what he saw was a Butterfree. It was a pink Butterfree. Ash's heart missed a beat.

Igniting confusion within Brock and Misty, Ash broke out into a run, determined to not let it escape. He had only seen one pink Butterfree once in his life. What were the chances that it was a different one? He continued running, his eyes focused on the Pokémon in the distance, the shouts of his friends echoing behind him. Ash was running for five minutes before it stopped in a small grove, meeting up with a cluster of other bug Pokémon. Breathless, Ash frantically searched around, hoping to see a familiar face.

"Ash, what do you think you are doing?" demanded Misty as soon as she had caught up with him.

"I'm looking for—"

He saw it then. There in front of him fluttered the Pokémon that he had once lost. It had been many years—over a decade in fact—since he had seen it. The first Pokémon he had ever caught stared back at him, its eyes shining after a moment of realization. Butterfree flew to him at full speed, until it made contact with his chest. Ash's eyes watered as he embraced his old friend.

"Butterfree! How have you been, buddy?"

"Beefreeee!" the Pokémon exclaimed in response.

There were many other Butterfrees, Metapods, and Caterpies surrounding the trainers as well. It dawned on Ash that this must be Buttterfree's family. He was delighted to know that Butterfree was happy and healthy. Brock and Misty watched the two with small grins etched upon their faces.

The reunion was short-lived, however. Misty gently reminded Ash that they had to find Becky. Ash suspected that her sense of urgency had more to do with being surrounded by bug Pokémon. He knew that she wanted out of this forest as soon as possible. Ash was willing to go and find Becky, though. It was Brock who was the distracted one. He had started to collect berries that had fallen on the ground, which Misty responded by shouting at him to focus.

"Butterfree," Ash began. "Have you seen a little girl around here today?"

"Freeee!" the Pokémon replied, nodding its head.

"Great!" Ash said, "Can you take us to her?"

The three sprinted deeper into the forest, with Butterfree at the lead. It was growing darker as they approached the heart of the forest, which was so densely packed trees that minimal light could penetrate the branches. There was a shrill that pervaded in the air, causing Ash to go faster. They found Becky trapped in a corner of the forest, a Hypno towering over her. Ash knew that he had to act quickly.

"Pikachu! Thunderbolt!"

"Pikachu!" the electric mouse shouted as electricity emanated from its cheeks.

The attack hit the Pokémon directly in the chest, critically hurting the psychic Pokémon. The Hypno ran away, leaving Becky unharmed. Her body was still shaking from fear as the tears fell from her eyes. Ash knelt down on her level, and put his backpack on the ground in front of him. He unzipped the bag and rummaged around for something, finally revealing a pink handkerchief. Misty immediately recognized it as the one she had given him years ago when she first had to leave to become Cerulean's gym leader. She almost wanted to cry as well at the thought that he had hung onto it after all of this time.

"It's okay now," Ash said, handing the piece of fabric to Becky. "You're safe now. My name is Ash. Is your name Becky?"

"Uh huh. How did you know that?" she asked, taking the handkerchief from him and drying her eyes.

"Your dad is looking for you everywhere."

"Oh," she said, frowning. "I thought that he wouldn't care if I was gone."

"Why would you say that?" Misty asked as the three adults sat down next to the child.

"He doesn't pay attention to me. He's always busy working. I'm all alone."

"Where's your mom?" Ash asked.

"Daddy said that she left when I was really young. We don't talk about her much."

"Oh," Ash said. "Well I can tell you that I bet your dad loves you a whole lot."

"How do you know?"

"I could see how scared he was when he couldn't find you. I know how you feel though. When I was growing up, it was only my mom and I. My dad left when I was young, too."

Misty fought the urge to smother Ash in an embrace. Though she had never met the man, she wanted to punch his dad in the face for leaving that sweet boy. It didn't matter that he wanted to become a Pokémon Master or whatever. She found the fact that he abandoned his wife and child to be deplorable. There were so many emotions running inside of her that it was making her head spin. She was angry about the situation with Ash's father, touched that he kept her handkerchief, and impressed at Ash's ability to handle a child so easily.

"Maybe my friend Butterfree can come visit you occasionally, and you can play with him. How does that sound?"

"Really? Butterfree is so cute!" she exclaimed, grabbing the Pokémon and giving it a squeeze.

"Beeefreee!" Butterfree squealed in delight.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu exclaimed as well.

"Ready to go back home?" Ash said after getting to his feet. He extended his hand out to Becky.

"Sure," she replied with a toothy grin as she held his hand.

 

Brock hung back in the forest, stating that he needed to find some more berries before heading out. They agreed to wait for him in by the dock after bringing Becky back to her father. Becky skipped cheerfully along, not relinquishing Ash's hand as they traveled down the path back to town. Pikachu sat on Misty's shoulder and talked happily to Butterfree, who had decided to come back to town for the afternoon. Becky was excited to have new friends. She was an only child, and there were not many other children on the island for companionship.

"So is she your girlfriend?" Becky asked Ash, looking up at him with innocent eyes.

"Who? Misty?" Ash asked, the color rushing to his face.

"Yeah."

"Oh, we're just friends," Misty interjected, nervous twitter present in her voice, before Ash had a chance to respond.

"Best friends?"

"That's right, Becky, best friends."

The three with the Pokémon reached the edge of town to discover that Becky's father was waiting for them. Becky, excited to see him, finally let go of Ash's hand and rushed toward him. Her father lifted her into his arms, relieved. He was grateful to Ash and Misty, as evident by his smile. Ash was glad that she could see that her father truly cares about after all. After a brief meeting and Becky's retelling of her adventures, the two headed home, leaving Ash and Misty alone with Pikachu and Butterfree.

Ash knew that it was time to leave his old friend so it could return to its family. He was depressed for their reunion had been short-lived. It was not entirely because Butterfree was the first Pokémon whom he caught. It was not because it was the first one to evolve. The bug represented a simpler time—one in which he was carefree. There were times where he did miss it. Misty's yelling was a welcome to him now. Anything was better than this deafening silence. Since when did his life get so mundane?

"Well buddy," Ash said, stepping toward his friend. "It was great seeing you again."

"Freee!"

"You take care of yourself, okay? We'll be back to visit real soon."

"Beefreeeee!" Butterfree exclaimed as it flew back into the direction of the forest.

Ash did his best to hold back his emotions as he observed it flutter away. Misty, knowing how hard this was for him, took hold of his hand. He glanced down at their hands, and blushed slightly. It was nice to know that he had Misty on his side. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. As long as she was here with him, there was nothing that could break him.


	14. An Egg-cellent Adventure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

"Ash, can you hand me that bucket of water?"

They were on another island, yet again being roped into helping someone. This time it was a daycare for Pokémon. Brock had been the one to offer assistance. This decision had the power to shock his two friends, considering this was not a favor for a young beautiful woman. An elderly couple ran the center, starting out when they were young newly-weds. People from all over Kanto came there to leave their Pokémon with the two people, whom they considered experts in Pokémon breeding. Although Brock was studying to become a Pokémon doctor, he remained interested in aspects of breeding. Also, one of his essential classes was on the subject of breeding and how it affects genetics. A lot of the course related breeding and certain diseases and conditions within certain species of Pokémon.

Brock shadowed the old woman named Muriel around the grounds, while Ash and Misty were stuck with most of the grunt work. They hauled enormous bags of Pokémon food to the feeding pens, and now they were filling the troughs full of water. It was rough work for even Ash, with his strong build and youth. He did not understand how the old couple was able to do it on a daily basis. He did wonder if they had a tendency of recruiting young naïve trainers. Ash handed Misty a full bucket, and they finished with the daily tasks.

After the morning work was done, they were able to have a small picnic on the far end of the grounds. Brock was nowhere to be seen, probably taking a break to find women out in the small town. He was hopeless. Misty enjoyed her sandwich as she watched water Pokémon swim in the small pond. Their blanket lay on the edge of the bank, and they basked in the sun, mainly in silence. Ash gave Pikachu an apple from his bag, much to his friend's delight.

"How come you still have my handkerchief?" Misty asked suddenly, causing Ash to choke on his water.

"W-Why?" he stuttered. "Do you want it back or something?"

"No, that's not it," she said. "I was wondering why you had it for so long."

"It was special to me," Ash said flopping back against the grass. "You gave it to me, and it helped to have it around when I missed you."

"Oh," Misty said, also lying against the grass. "I'd never ask for it back, you know."

"I know."

A comfortable silence draped over them as they lay in the meadow. They relished the sunlight, knowing that it would not be this warm back at home upon their return. Pikachu, wanting to give the two humans space, pranced away along the banks of the meadow. He did not notice the figures creeping up from behind as he took a sip of water from the tiny pond. A pair of hands snatched him from his spot, taking him away from his trainer.

"Hey, Ash?"

"Hmm?"

She hesitated, aware of the question on the precipice of leaving her lips. It was a frivolous one, she decided as soon as he responded. She wanted to ask him something that could be personal. She was curious; however, at the same time she did not want him to get the wrong idea.

"Well?" Ash said, his voice declaring his impatience.

"Nothing. Never mind."

"No," he said, rolling on his side to face her. "Tell me what you were going to say?"

"How were you able to be so good with Rebecca right away?"

It wasn't what she originally wanted to ask him, but it was related in a way that might indirectly answer it. It was something that he could answer without him knowing her true question. What she actually desired to know was his thoughts on having kids. They were a bit young for that, and it was not to say that she thought they would be a couple in the future. The way he interacted with Rebecca started her thoughts on the subject, so it was a good place to begin.

"What do you mean?"

"You were able to calm her down and talk to her on her level. It's not easy to talk to a kid like that."

"I was once a kid, Misty. It wasn't _that_ long ago."

"I've never been able to do that. I tried a side-job of babysitting a few years back, and it ended disastrously. I was watching two little girls. It started out fine, but when I tried to put them to bed, one of them refused to brush her teeth. It caused this epic battle between us. Eventually, she shouted at me that I was the worst babysitter ever. I felt like shit after she said that. They went to sleep, and when I returned downstairs, I cried for a good five minutes about it. So yeah, kids and I are not a good mix."

"That doesn't mean that sort of thing would happen with all kids," Ash replied, in a reassuring voice. "Besides when are you going to encounter little kids any time soon? Why are you worried about this?"

"I was thinking more so about years from now…you know, when I might have kids of my own."

"Oh."

It flummoxed Ash that Misty would even have thought about motherhood at their age. It had not even been a year since he had thought of a girl as more than a friend, let alone think about having children. In a way, he was still a child himself, navigating through life as if he were making his way through a pitch-black room. He admired her for her self-sufficiency. She had tangible goals that were within reach. His was once to be a Pokémon Master, but what did that even mean? The longer he had been a trainer, the more cynical he had become on the idea, especially when his ex-girlfriend would had pointed out all that he had yet to accomplish. There were so many leagues in which he had competed, and the only one he came out on top was the Orange League. There were hundreds more Pokémon out there than originally known when he first became a trainer, and he was nowhere near completing his Pokedex.

He stared at her as the image of his best friend holding a small child fluttered into his brain. The baby she held in his imagination had to be no much older than a year old. He was not sure of its gender, for it was wearing generic clothes. The baby had her eyes of course, but dark hair like his. The thought went through him like a flash of lightning, disappearing as suddenly as it appeared, and he found himself wistfully wishing for it to return to him. Before that moment, he never thought of having a child, but then, he could not picture himself having one with anyone but Misty.

"I'm afraid that I'm going to be a terrible mother someday," she confessed, yanking him back into reality.

"No, you won't," he responded immediately.

"How can you be so sure?"

"You're amazing with your Pokémon for one thing, so you can't possibly be _terrible._ "

"Ash, children are not the same thing as Pokémon."

"They can't be that different, right Pikachu?"

Ash expected for the electric mouse to chime in with enthusiasm, but instead, he was greeted with silence. He shot up instantaneously, knowing that something was wrong. He could not see his buddy anywhere. Where could he have gone in the matter of minutes? Misty mirrored Ash in searching around for the yellow furball with her eyes. As far as they could tell, he was not anywhere near the pond anymore.

"Pikachu!" Ash shouted after getting to his feet.

Again, there was nothing but silence.

"Pikachu!" Misty called.

"Where are you, little buddy?" Ash shouted.

With no sign of him, they searched onward toward the front of the daycare center, passing all sorts of Pokémon, just not Pikachu. Ash was on the precipice of panic. Something was wrong. It was not in Pikachu's character to wonder away.

"Pikachu!" he called again. That was when he heard manacle laughing.

"Those voices," cried Misty.

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unite all peoples within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of truth and love."

"To extend our reach to the stars above."

Team Rocket appeared from behind the large barn. This time, they were wearing their standard uniforms. James stood solemnly, a rose gripped into his hand. Jessie wore a smug look on her face.

"Jessie."

"James."

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light. Surrender now or prepare to fight," they recited together, as always.

"Meowth, that's right," the cat Pokémon shouted, appearing from behind.

Pikachu was in what appeared to be a glass container, which Meowth was holding over his head. Pikachu tried to break free by using his electricity, but it was no use. Team Rocket knew what they were doing this time.

"Give me back Pikachu!" Ash demanded.

"Now why on earth would we do that?" James taunted.

"Pikachu is coming with us now," Jessie added.

"So you twos can run along and play," said Meowth.

"How dare you?" Ash said, gritting his teeth.

Ash was beside himself. He did not know what to do. Pikachu was the only Pokémon he had brought with him. He hadn't trained in a couple of months, and he figured that his other Pokémon would be much happier at Professor Oak's lab rather than stuck inside of a Pokeball most of the time. In that moment, he regretted his decision. There was no way for him to get back Pikachu. He was contemplating lunging at them when he heard shouting.

"Stop, thieves!"

Muriel and Brock were headed toward them. The woman was able to match Brock's pace in spite of her age. Team Rocket panicked when she grew closer. She was petite, yet properly intimidating. James picked up a large sack as they prepared to leave before Muriel could get her hands on them.

"They stole all of the Pokémon eggs," Brock explained when he reached the other two.

"That's it!" exclaimed Misty, her fiery personality emerging. "I thought I was done with you idiots years ago!"

"Who are you calling idiots?" Jessie said, indignant.

"You never win! I don't understand why you are part of an evil organization and try to steal everyone's Pokémon when you suck at it!"

"How dare you," James said.

"Ya know," Meowth interrupted, "Yous two would be lost without me, so she has a point."

"Meowth!" James said as Jessie whacked him off the back of the head.

"Ow!" the cat Pokémon whined as he held his head.

"Enough fooling around," Jessie shouted at the other two. "Let's go!"

"Right," James said as he pulled out a small remote and pushed a button.

The ground began to rumble as their balloon popped out from the ground beyond the fence. Somehow, they had managed to build a trapdoor without anyone noticing. If they had time to do all of that, it was a wonder that they didn't come in the daycare at night instead. Though it was certainly not the smarter choice, Team Rocket had a habit of being dramatic.

They hopped into the balloon, James carrying the sack of Pokémon eggs and Jessie carrying Pikachu. Ash ran in an attempt to stop them, but they were too high for him to reach, his hand grazing the bottom of the basket. Misty would not let Team Rocket get away with this. She instinctually went for the Pokeball on the right side of her belt. She plucked it off and threw it in front of her.

"Azumarill, go!"

The Pokeball opened with a pop, light pouring out until the water Pokémon appeared. The Pokémon that was once her Azurill stood ready to battle. There was a blazing in its eyes. Misty had not used it in battle for quite some time, so it was itching for a fight. Azumarill was Misty's workhorse. It was so stubborn and never conceded in a fight. The contrast in its personality now compared to when it was an Azurill intrigued her. It was interesting that someone could change so much over the years.

"Rill!" shouted the Pokémon.

"Bubblebeam!"

The Pokémon opened its mouth, and stream of bubbles escaped. The attack hit James, knocking him off balance. He dropped the bag over the side of the balloon. Brock ran toward the rapidly falling bag of Pokémon eggs, reaching his arms out to catch it. He leapt forward, his arms stretched outwardly. He landed with the bag in his arms, safe from harm.

Azumarill's assault continued with Team Rocket ducking toward the bottom of the balloon. The bubbles flew so fast that they were starting to rip the sides of the basket. One bubble was all it took to shatter the glass container that held Pikachu. The glass blew all over the floor and over the sides. Pikachu shook his head and upon realizing his new freedom, he bounded to the edge, his cheeks sparking.

"Pikachu, thunderbolt!"

Electricity flew out of his cheeks and into the humans who tried to kidnap him in the first place. They were paralyzed from the shock. The attack blew a hole into their balloon, causing it to start to fly away. Pikachu fled from it, falling down to the earth below. Ash sprinted over to catch his smallest friend. Pikachu landed in his arms, as Team Rocket grew smaller in the sky.

"Look like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they shouted before the ding rang out, signifying that they were gone.

"Pikapi!"

"Are you okay, Pikachu?"

"Chaaa!"

He hugged his Pokémon, feeling slightly guilty that he hadn't been paying attention. Had he been less distracted, he would have seen Team Rocket, and none of this would have happened. Yet again, he let a woman cloud his judgment. Well, Misty was not any woman. She was so much more than that to him. Did he dare to say that he might even love her? Feeling slightly remorseful, he hoped that Pikachu would understand. Pikachu was simply content to be back with Ash.

The sun was setting on the horizon, the crimson light dancing on the edge of the horizon. The Wingulls were hovering over the open ocean, waiting for the fish to break. Ash, Misty, and Brock stood in front of the daycare's entrance with Muriel. They were done for the day and were in the middle of their good-byes. Brock was reluctant to leave, and for once it was not for a beautiful young woman. He had learned a lot in that one afternoon, and was a bit disappointed that he could not learn more. Ash and Misty had more than enough in one day, however.

"Thank you for all of your help," Muriel said.

"It was our pleasure," Brock said.

"Speak for yourself," Ash muttered under his breath.

"Here," Muriel said, handing them a Pokémon egg. It was pink with brown spots.

"Why are you giving us this?" asked Ash, taking the egg from her.

"Sometimes trainers do not want the eggs that their Pokémon produce. We keep them and raise them on our own. I like to give them away to trainers who help us out sometimes, depending on if they do good work," she explained.

"You have it," Ash said, offering it to Misty.

"What? Why me?"

"You're the one who saved the day," Ash said. "If it weren't for you, we wouldn't even have this egg to raise. Pikachu would have been gone. You deserve to have it."

"You're only saying this because you don't want the responsibility."

"No, Misty, I mean it. I want you to have it."

"Well, all right then," she replied, taking the egg and clutching it close to her chest. It had been sometime since she held something so small and fragile. It reminded her a bit of when she had Togepi. A sense of warmth washed over her like a steaming-hot bath.

As they said good-bye to Muriel and headed on their way, Ash could not take his gaze off of Misty. She was cheerful the rest of the way back, chatting away with Brock about his day. She hugged the egg close, and it made Ash delighted. Watching her with her new Pokémon, although not yet hatched, gave him an idea. He thought of a plan to make her happy once more and perhaps, capture her heart.


	15. The Wrath of Misty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

It was early one morning, the sky still dark outside. Misty sat in front of the videophone downstairs in the Pokémon Center. She stifled a yawn as Daisy talked to her, dressed in her bathrobe. Though tired, Misty had a hard time sleeping that night. As she was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, she heard the vibration of her cell phone. Groaning, she rose from the mattress and dragged her heels along the way to the windowsill where the phone rested. When she saw the message from her sister to call, she thought that this time was as good as any. She sat there, holding her new egg, as her oldest sister chatted away.

"What do you mean you need me back right away?"

"Yeah. Running the gym is, like, totally harder than we remember it being," Daisy said. "So you'll leave today, right?"

"What about all of the reporters?" Misty asked.

"Oh them? They left, like, ages ago. So, are you coming home then?"

"The ferry doesn't run until tomorrow around noon," Misty answered.

"I guess, like, you're going to leave on that one?"

"Yeah, sure…"

"Great! I'll see you in a couple of days!" shouted her sister before the screen went blank.

"Bye…"

They could have gone that morning like Daisy wanted, but Misty was reluctant to leave. There was a festival on the main island that night celebrating the fall. It made little sense considering it was rarely frigid due to the active volcano. Regardless, she had a strong desire to go. It had been a while since she had experienced the aroma of the vendors and mellifluous chatter. Nostalgia overtook her body as a pair of arms wrapped around her. She whipped her head back to view Ash's smiling face behind her. Her heart leapt against her chest, and butterflies erupted in her stomach.

"What are you doing up so early?" he said, releasing his grip in order to sit next to her instead. The sun was beginning to break on the horizon, luminescence seeping into the otherwise dark lobby.

"I could say the same to you," she teased, nudging her shoulder against him.

"I was hungry," he confessed. "So I went to your room to see if you wanted an early breakfast. There was no answer at the door, so I came down to search for you."

"Hmm," she said. "How did you know that I wasn't in Brock's room?"

"Why would you be in his room at this time?"

"Use your imagination."

"Ack," said an alarmed Ash. "You mean—wait. You have a thing for him?"

"Don't be silly," she said, unable to contain the fit of giggles that wished to escape her torso. "I have never thought of Brock in that way. It would be like dating my brother—my older, slightly perverted brother—but my brother, nonetheless."

"Oh. Of course," Ash responded. His heart rate started to decrease. He was feeling sheepish as well. Why would he think that Misty would like Brock? No, her type was men such as Danny and Rudy. Perhaps, he would have a better shot if he became a gym leader. That was not going to happen any time soon. For now, his current plan would have to suffice.

"What would you do if we were to become a couple?" Misty inquired, intending to push the appropriate buttons.

"I don't know," Ash said, averting his eyes. "You're both my friends, so I'd be happy for you of course, as long as you were happy."

Ash would have been lying if he did not admit that jealously took hold of him the second he thought of them together. He managed to hide it well, however. At his words, Misty experienced a twinge of disappointment. She was hoping to hear an ounce of jealousy in his voice, but alas none was found.

"You never answered my question," he said, breaking the silence. "Why are you down here?"

"So we digressed a bit," Misty pouted. "It's not the end of the world."

"Well?"

"Daisy sent me a text asking to call home, so that's what I was doing."

"What did she want?"

"She wants me to come back to the gym right away."

"Oh," said Ash, "When are we leaving?"

"I told my sister that we would be taking the ferry tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow?" Ash said, his voice going up an octave. "We're leaving this suddenly?"

"Well, yeah," she said. "I had to lie to Daisy and say that there was no ferry today just to put it off for one more day."

"Are we still going to the festival tonight then?"

"Yeah, of course," she replied. "That's the main reason I lied to my sister. I didn't want to miss it."

Realization rapidly set in as silence overcame Ash. This meant that he had barely a day left for the first part of his plan. Every moment spent with Misty in the increasing daylight was time wasted. As much as he craved her company, he had more crucial matters that needed attending. He sprung from his seat, frightening her in the process. He turned to exit through the door, but remembered that Pikachu was in his room sleeping. He began walking back to get his single Pokémon when Misty stopped him.

"Wait. Where are you going?" she demanded.

"I have to go do something today. Sorry, I just remembered. I need to get going right away."

"What about the festival?"

"Don't worry," he shouted as he fled the lobby. "I'll be back in time."

Sighing, Misty stood, staring at the empty doorway, consumed by her thoughts. Where was he going without her? It was possible that he had found some other girl and was heading to go meet her. The image of him with another woman caused a great pang to resonate within her. She knew that it would happen someday, but in her heart, she hoped it would be her.

 

In the absence of Ash, Misty spent the morning and afternoon with Brock. Their stuff was laid out on the beach all day as they enjoyed the blazing sun. It had been one of the warmest days since they had arrived weeks prior. Misty applied copious amounts of sunscreen to prevent turning into a lobster as Brock combed the beach for young, single women. Misty, clad in her favorite red bikini, sighed as she observed Brock get rejected by girl after girl. As she watched on as a tall blonde slapped him across the face, a nudging in her arms diverted her attention. The egg, which she had been holding, was shaking. For a second, she believed that it was going to hatch. However, it stopped almost as suddenly as it had started. She pressed her ear against the shell as Brock came back to their blanket, dejected.

"Why don't any of these women want me, Misty?"

"Because, believe it or not, Brock, we actually don't like getting hit on," Misty said, her ear still pressed against the egg.

"What are you doing?" he asked as he sat down next to her.

"It was moving a minute ago," she answered, setting it back down into her lap. "I think that it might hatch soon."

"What do you think will be inside?"

"A water Pokémon would be fabulous, but I guess it doesn't matter to me so much."

"Maybe I should toss in the towel," Brock said, reeling the conversation back to his dilemma.

"I think that you're trying too hard. Not every woman wants a hook-up—or even likes men for that matter," she said.

"Trying to tell me something, Misty?"

"If you are insinuating that I am a lesbian, then you are quite mistaken," she snapped.

"Just checking," he said with a chuckle.

"Anyway," she said, rolling her eyes. "My point is that not every woman is looking to have sex, especially when you come off really strong like that. It makes you look desperate, if not creepy."

"But I am desperate. It's been too long!" he groaned. Brock turned his head to give her a once over. "Hey, Misty—"

"The answer is no."

"You're no fun," he said, flopping back on the blanket draped against the warm sand. "You know it wouldn't mean anything."

"Brock, it would be like having sex with my brother," she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Yeah," he sighed. "I suppose you're right. Guess I'm going solo again tonight."

"Ew. Too much information."

"You'd love to do that with Ash though."

"Yeah," she said wistfully. "That would be pure bliss."

She clasped her hand over her mouth, realizing that she had blurted it out for everyone to hear, opposed to keeping it inside of her head. Brock bolted upright and stared at her, wide-eyed. He had anticipated her telling him off for even suggesting it. This had been unforeseen. Brock had managed to get her to reveal her cards to him, something that he had only been able to do on one previous occasion. Brock recalled the one time where Misty had told him that it was much harder to like someone who didn't like you back. When questioned about how she knew about that, she had become alarmed and claimed that she had heard about it from someone. She had been talking about Ash all along.

"F-forget I said that," she cried, her countenance turning bright scarlet.

"Nope, you are not getting out of this one this time, Misty."

"No really, Brock," she said, her words flying out of her mouth as fast as a commercial jet. "I don't know why I said that."

"I do," Brock said in the most serious tone Misty had ever heard coming from him. "You're still in love with him."

"Don't be silly, Brock. We're friends, nothing more."

"Quit lying, Misty," Brock said. "There's nothing to gain from denying it. I know that you had a crush on him when we were younger. I thought, maybe you grew out of that and moved on from him. Watching you though, I see the way you look at him. You love him."

She knew that she was not going to get out of this now. Brock would not let this go. He was right, though, and Misty knew it. She was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him. She had always been in love with him, from the first moment that they met, even if she did not know it at the time. Her world forever shifted the day she pulled him from the water.

"Fine," she replied, resigned. "I love him. I always have. What difference does it make anyway? I'm pretty sure that he doesn't feel the same way, so what can I do?"

"How would you know that without talking to him?" Brock replied. "He might surprise you."

"What if he doesn't?" she said, clutching the egg closer to her chest. "I know that if he knows, but doesn't love me in the same way that I love him, that it is going to get awkward between this. I finally have him back again. I had missed him so much that the pain from it was almost impossible to bear. How could I risk losing him forever like that?"

"Misty—"

"Brock, please do not push me into telling him when I am nowhere ready to do that," she said, getting up. She brushed the sand off of her toned legs. "Promise me you won't tell him?"

"Of course," he replied. "I wouldn't do that to you. You know that."

"Thanks," she said, grabbing her bag. "I'll see you tonight. I want to get ready for the festival. I'll meet you downstairs in the Pokémon Center."

She waltzed off in the direction of the Pokémon Center, Brock's eyes following her movements until she was no longer visible. This whole situation was frustrating to Brock. He was certain that Ash had deeper feelings for Misty than he would readily admit. Simultaneously, Misty would not reveal her emotions to Ash, and Brock couldn't tell him because she would kick his ass. As much as he wanted them to get their shit together, he feared the wrath of Misty more.

 

The sky was dark, the stars twinkling above the Pokémon Center where Brock and Misty waited for their friend. As each minute passed, Misty grew more anxious. Ash said that he would be able to meet them in time for the festival. However, there they stood, past eight o'clock with the festival already started, and no Ash in sight. Brock was wearing a plain faded blue yukata, his arms crossed as his eyes moved back and forth between the clock and the doors at the front of the lobby. He was holding Misty's egg as she paced across the floor phone in hand. Her yukata was more elaborate than Brock's. It was blue as well, though hers was closer to cerulean. There were white bubbles in the pattern, along with pictures of orange and white koi. Her long flowing hair was secured in a clip, strands of hair in the front framing her face. Her fingers flew across the keypad, writing a frantic text message to Ash. After several agonizing moments of silence, she resorted to calling him. Several rings with no answer forced her to resort to leaving him a message.

"Ash, where are you?" she demanded into the receiver. "Please, call me back when you get this. I'm getting worried."

"Misty," Brock said, cautiously.

"What?" she snapped at him.

"Sorry to interrupt your conversation with Ash's voicemail, but do you think he was running late and figured that we would end up meeting him at the festival?"

"I don't know," she said, continuing to pace. "If you want to go on ahead, you can do so. I'll stay here and wait for him."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, and if you do find him out there, tell him to at least call me."

"Sure," he said handing her the Pokémon egg. "I'll catch you later. Good luck."

"Thanks."

Brock strolled out of the doors at an even pace, leaving Misty to fill the silence with the echoing of her wooden sandals against the tile floor. Panic was starting to set inside of her core. No matter what she did, nothing could qualm the tightening knot inside of her stomach. She tried once more to reach him on his phone. Again, she was greeted with painful silence. Where was he?

If something had happened to him, she could not forgive herself. She had made no protest of him going alone. She should have at least offered to go with him. What if what he was planning on doing was dangerous? Worse yet, what if he had been depressed over these past few weeks, and she had failed to notice? What if he had decided to do something drastic? She was on the verge of a nervous breakdown when she heard footsteps and a gruff voice behind her.

"Sorry, I'm late. I ran into some trouble on the way back."

Before her, standing between her and the front desk, was Ash, dressed in a forest green yukata, which was adorned with a pattern of white fir trees. Relief was the tsunami that flooded into her body at the sight of him and Pikachu. The electric mouse rested on his trainer's shoulder, his fur ruffled and slightly dirty, causing Misty to wonder what they were doing all day. Ash stood there, afraid to say more, the trace of a smile plaguing his lips.

"Where have you been?" Misty shrieked, tears forming in her eyes. Ash was so alarmed by her response that he took a few steps back, eventually reaching the reception desk.

"I got side-tracked a few times. The important thing is that I am here now."

"What was so important that you were doing that you couldn't pick up your goddamn phone?"

"I uh—"

What were you doing?" she yelled once more, this time getting in his face.

"I can't tell you right now," he said.

"Listen, you," she said grabbing him by the collar with one of her hands. "I was worried sick about you. I tried texting and calling with no response. What am I supposed to think when you don't respond to me like that?"

Ash was aware that he should have been scared shitless then. Misty was the most intimidating person whom he had ever met. She was stunning when she was angry, making it difficult for Ash to be petrified by her. She had lost that power she had to scare him as soon as he realized how much he truly loved her. Instead of fear, the emotions that he was experiencing in that moment were guilt and sadness. He felt horrible about making her worry like that. At the same time, he couldn't reveal what he was doing, not unless he wanted to ruin the surprise he had for her. It was something that he had worked too hard on to destroy that now.

"I'm sorry, Mist," he said. "I should have answered your calls."

"Too right," Misty said, releasing her grip on his clothing. "Another thing, mister—huh?"

A violent shaking from the egg in her arms stopped Misty short. She stared in awe as it continued to move. A bright white light emanated from it and filled the lobby. She set the egg down on the floor, crouching down in front of it. The whiteness shifted from an egg shape into a star shape. The light dissipated, revealing the Cleffa behind it. It was bright pink with lime green ears, not the usual coloration. Misty thought that this made it even cuter. She picked up the Pokémon gleefully.

"Oh, you're so adorable!" she squealed as she brought it closer to her chest.

"Cleffa!" the pink Pokémon exclaimed, happy to see Misty, too.

"Yeah, just like its owner," Ash piped in.

"Huh?" Misty said. Her cheeks grew pink when it dawned on her that Ash was saying that she was cute as well. "Don't think that you're going to butter me up to get on my good side again."

"But Misty, you're not a piece of bread. Why would I want to put butter on you?"

"It's an expression!" she growled, holding Cleffa with one arm, freeing her other hand in order to rest it on her hip. "I'm still mad at you."

"I bet you I can change that," he said, grabbing her hand. "I'll buy you an ice cream."

"With sprinkles?"

"Of course," he said. "Anything else?"

"How about a shopping spree?"

"Don't push it."

Misty's heart raced as they strolled out of the Pokémon Center, her hand firmly captured in his grip. A grin formed as they journeyed together to the festival grounds in the tepid night. As they ran to join Brock, Misty thought nostalgically about their first festival. They spent their time dancing and eating ice cream cones together while poking fun at Brock's romantic endeavors. Being with Ash like this made her fall all over again. As the two sat on a bench together, watching the fireworks, she knew that never wanted that night to end.


	16. Wedding Planning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

Misty arrived home one cold December night from a Pokémon League conference, exhausted. She had spent the last three days at the Indigo Plateau, discussing the preparations for this year's competition. She dreaded coming home, certain that her sisters had not been able to handle the gym in her absence. After meeting after meeting, the last thing she wanted to come home to was a fiasco. The time spent way over a month ago had done so much damage to the gym's reputation. Misty loved being a gym leader, but she could not rely on her sisters anymore. There had been a small discussion about the fact that Daisy had a habit of giving out badges. Misty had been reluctant to find an apprentice, but she needed to have someone reliable to take over gym battles when she was away. Part of the problem was that she was not sure of where to begin. The best place to possibly scout someone would be at a competition like the Whirl Cup.

She dropped her bag down in front of the reception desk. There was a rushing of footsteps, which ended when Daisy popped through the doorway. It was past eleven o'clock, and normally, her sister would have been in bed at this time. Daisy stifled a yawn before speaking to Misty.

"Ash is on the phone," she said. She continued after being greeted with Misty's puzzled expression. "I told him that you would, like, be home late, but he insisted on waiting for you."

Misty left the room wordlessly, wondering what he wanted. It had been over a month since they had returned from the Sevii Islands, but they had seen each other only a few times. Ash had insisted on going home to Pallet Town, although she had offered to let him stay at the gym once more. He declined, stating that he needed to take some time and figure out what his next move would be.

As Misty strolled to the phone, she pondered the reason that Ash had returned home months ago. With all that was happening, she had forgotten about it. Last time they had talked on the phone, she tried to coax it out of him, but he changed the subject. She decided against asking him again that night. She did not want to risk his phone calls ceasing, even if the thought continued to nag at her.

She saw his face on the videophone as soon as she entered her small office. The desk was littered with paperwork and empty wrappers. She was mortified, knowing that she often would chastise Ash for being messy and disorganized. She shuffled the papers and chucked an empty soda can into the trash in an attempt to tidy.

"You don't have to do that on account of me," Ash said to her. That was easy for him to say. His living room was always spotless.

"I want to do it for myself," she said before sitting in the chair in front of the phone. "You didn't have to wait for me."

"I wanted to," he said, his cheeks gaining a bit of color. "So are you coming to meet Daisy in Pallet tomorrow?"

"To do the final details on the wedding planning?"

"Yeah."

"No," she said. "I have to do a few scheduled battles in the morning due to my absence over the past couple of days. I'm meeting Daisy and the other girls at Daisy's apartment in Viridian. We have a dress fitting down the road in the afternoon."

"Oh," Ash said. Misty thought that she had heard disappointment in his voice, but she decided that she was imagining it.

"Be thankful that you're not her Maid of Honor because I am exhausted from all of this wedding planning. Why she decided to have it this soon is beyond me. I think she invited half of Kanto…do you think she's pregnant?"

"What? Why do you think that?"

"Uh why else would she expedite the biggest day of her life?"

"Maybe because she can't wait for it?" Ash wanted to laugh at her suggestion, but he held his tongue, aware that the call would end abruptly if he did. "Misty, don't you think we would have noticed by now if she were pregnant? They got engaged in August."

"I guess you're right," she said, opening a package of small powdered doughnuts. She took a bite before continuing. "She still shouldn't rush this. I mean part of me regrets agreeing to this."

"At least you don't have to make a speech," Ash replied.

"You still haven't worked on that yet?" Misty asked, incredulous.

"Well…I mean…No."

"Ash," she said. "That's the one thing you have had to do this entire time. Except, maybe rent a tux."

"Wait. I need to rent a tux?"

Misty did not reply to him. Instead, she sighed and buried her head into her arms. She had tucked her legs up into her chest when their conversation started, and now that she was in a human ball, she discovered that it was warm and comfortable. As soon as her head was resting on her arms, she acknowledged how tired she was. She did not have the energy to lift it back upright. Instead she muttered her responses to Ash as she drifted in and out of sleep. It eventually came to the point where Ash said something, and she did not respond. After calling her name a few times, he ended the call. It would have been pointless talking to her as she slept, he had decided, and there were other things that he could be doing instead, such as taking care of her Christmas present.

 

Ash went over to Oak's lab early the next morning. He was still disappointed that he wouldn't be seeing Misty. A minuscule part of him regretted returning to Pallet a month ago. He had yet figured what to do aside from Pokémon training, something that he told Misty he was going to do. He knew that she would kick his ass if she found out that he had moped around his house the whole time. Ash had decided to come home instead of staying in Cerulean for different reasons. The truth was that his feelings for her terrified him. He needed some space away from her to sort everything out. He wanted to be truly sure that he felt something for her and not because she just happened to be there so recently after he had been dumped.

As he trudged up the steps, his mind went to Serena, the blonde bombshell, as he used to think of her. Now he thought of her with extreme bitterness. He wondered what she was doing in that moment and whose arms she was in. It was not as if he still loved her – he wasn't even certain if he had loved her in the first place. He would not know what to say to her if he ran into her on the street. He recalled the day that she left him as clearly as the day it had happened. This was part of the reason he stopped training. She had called him a failure of a trainer, never meant to be a Pokémon Master. It was those words more than breaking up with her that destroyed his will to train Pokémon. Looking back on it, he knew that he should not have let her get to him in such a way, but part of him believed it. It had been over a decade since he started his journey, and he was not much closer to being a Pokémon Master than at the beginning. He would never live up to her expectations. Thus, he gave up.

Misty was another story entirely. She had encouraged him, even if it were in a subtle way. He acknowledged that she was trying to help him at times, even if he hadn't wanted the help. In retrospect, he should have borrowed her water Pokémon to battle Brock. It worked out in the end, but as he matured, he realized that he should not have been that stubborn. Of course, part of him was still stubborn, not telling her about his feelings. Every time she was mentioned or the times that he saw her his heart missed a beat. This was followed by his stomach doing somersaults

Ash rang the doorbell, expecting Daisy or Professor Oak to answer the door. To his surprise, the door opened to reveal Gary's smug face. He looked at Ash and smiled. Without a word being uttered from his mouth, he waltzed away. This irritated the hell out of Ash.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?"

"Uh, I have work to do with Gramps," Gary replied as Ash rushed to catch up to him.

"So you can't even say 'hello' or anything?"

"Fine," Gary said, sighing. "Hi Ash. How are you?"

"I'm okay, I guess," he grumbled as they walked through the hall. "Is Tracey here?"

"No, he left for a few days."

"He left already?" Ash said, his voice laced with annoyance. "I was supposed to see him today about the wedding."

Gary did not reply. Instead he made a noise to indicate his annoyance.

"Don't tell me that you're still upset about all of this. Is it that bad that your sister is getting married?"

"I guess not," Gary replied as they exited the back door, leading to the grounds. "I'm shocked to see you here. I thought you were staying at Cerulean with Misty."

"Not anymore. It was starting to cause problems for her."

"Oh yeah. I saw the tabloids. Was any of that true?"

"No," Ash said quickly. "Of course not."

"I don't understand why you two aren't a couple yet," said Gary.

"We're friends. That's all."

"Ash, you can deny it all that you want, but anyone with eyes can see that you are in love with her."

"I am not," Ash said. He could sense his face growing hotter by the second.

"Denial," sighed Gary. "It's not just a river in Egypt."

"What do you mean?"

"Never mind," Gary said. "Hey Green!"

Green was sitting out in the field on a blanket with Daisy Oak and May. The three girls were in the middle of a picnic breakfast, for it was an unusually warm morning for the beginning of December. Not that it would stop them from having a catered breakfast. They had a spread of fruits, breads, and jams. There were English muffins, bagels with cream cheese, and muffins. Ash also saw Danishes, cinnamon buns, and croissants, making his stomach rumble audibly. All three ladies were sipping on champagne glasses filled with mimosas.

Ash hadn't seen May in a couple of years. She smiled and waved at him as the two men approached. Her brown hair had grown a little longer, and it was pulled back into a messy ponytail. She had gone on to be a top coordinator in Hoenn and Kanto. She had seen her picture on a magazine a few months ago to promote the new contests that would be starting in Johto. He had also heard a rumor that she and Drew had started dating, but he did not know the accuracy of that statement.

"Come have a seat with us," Daisy exclaimed as the two reached them. "I'm sure you guys are hungry, especially Ash."

Before he could respond, his stomach started groaning again, causing a fit of giggles from the women. They had all spent enough time with him to know that he was a bottomless pit when it came to food. Daisy had worried about having a bunch of stuff left over, even with her plan to bring some for Misty later, but now that Ash was here, she was more concerned with having enough to bring to her Maid of Honor. Gary sat down in between his sister and Green while Ash had sat down next to May. The young researcher took the time to gently grab Green's hand, causing her to blush, but Ash wasted no time stuffing a bagel into his face.

"Tracey apologizes for missing you this morning, Ash."

"Huh?"

"He also said that whatever you think of to say is fine. It doesn't have to be perfect."

Ash, whose mouth was filled with bagel, simply nodded in response.

"Are you and Misty dating like the tabloids said?" May blurted.

He jumped and accidentally swallowed a bite of half-chewed bagel, causing him to begin to choke on it. He automatically grabbed for the pitcher of orange juice, or what he hoped was orange juice. Adding alcohol to this situation would not be helped. He poured himself a glass and chugged it down, bringing the starchy bread along with it. He coughed gasping for air.

"I'll take that as a no then…" May said slyly.

"No," Gary piped in. "He's too afraid to make a move on her."

"Gary!" Ash shouted, finally finding his voice.

"You know, Ash," Daisy said. "You're welcome to join us this afternoon. I'm sure that Misty would love to see you."

"I'm all set," Ash said, almost cutting her off. "I'm not really into any of that girly stuff."

"Oh come on, Ash," May said.

"I have stuff to do."

"What stuff?" Green demanded.

"Uh—uh—Pokémon training!"

Daisy snorted. "That's bull shit, and you know it. You haven't been training for months now. You don't even have Pikachu with you right now."

She was right. Pikachu was still sleeping in Ash's bed, as far as he knew. His first Pokémon was starting to get lazy in his old age. However it was more likely due to the fact that they hadn't been training recently. The desire to train was not there still, but there was something slowly stirring inside.

"I guess you caught me," Ash said.

"So does that mean you're going?"

"No, I do actually have other things to take care of today."

"Uh huh," Daisy said skeptically.

"Aw c'mon, Daisy, you know what I am talking about here," Ash pleaded with her.

"No I d—oh! That? Yeah I guess you better stay."

"What is he talking about?" Gary asked.

Ash stood. "I'll show you. C'mon."

Gary followed suit, allowing Ash to take him in the direction of the small pond. He had been traveling abroad for the past couple of months, and returned the previous night. He hadn't had a chance to inspect the grounds. As Gary wondered what Ash was going to show him, Daisy watched them disappear from view, a small grin tugging at the edges of her lips.

 

Misty strolled down the side streets of Viridian City, searching for Forest Ave., the paper with Daisy's address scribbled on it in her hand. Her cell phone was in the other, with Misty ready to call at a moment's notice. She still had some time before they were meant to meet, but she was afraid that she wouldn't find the place in time. If her sisters had been more reliable with the gym or she had an apprentice, she could have met Daisy at her grandfather's lab. She might have had time to go visit Ash as well. She shivered as the wind picked up, longing for the jacket she had left at home. It had been mild when she left that morning, but for some reason, the temperature suddenly dropped. She needed to find Daisy, so they could go up to their apartment to the warmth. She was about to give up and call when she heard a voice shouting her name.

"Misty! Over here!"

She turned her head to see Daisy standing in front of a small two-story house with May and Green. The two of them stood with their coats clutched against their bodies as Daisy put the key through the lock and turned. When the door opened, they bolted inside, while Daisy waited in the threshold for Misty. She sprinted down the street, her grip on her phone tight. As soon as Misty was in the front entryway of the house, their hostess slammed the door shut.

The four women ascended the stairs of the small building to Daisy's studio apartment on the second floor. As with the front door outside, the young women waited for their friend to unlock her door. Once it was open, they all filed into her tiny living room.

For a small studio, it was rather spacious. Misty had to commend Daisy for utilizing her vertical space efficiently. There was a modern navy blue couch and chair set in the middle of the living room across from the compact kitchenette. There were pots and pans hanging on a rack that was attached to the ceiling. Behind the stove, attached to the wall were herbs growing in small pots. In the far end of the room resided the large bay window, which faced the outside. Daisy had made a small reading nook, placing a bookcase next to the window bench. The light cascaded through the window, and with the lack of space, it illuminated the entire apartment. There was a small bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower to Misty's immediate left. In the corner next to the bathroom lay the ladder leading up to the small loft, where Daisy and Tracey's bed resided.

"Here Misty," Daisy said, handing her a brown paper bag before setting everything else on the island. "I saved you a bagel."

"Thanks," she replied as she placed it on the glass-top coffee table. Daisy bustled around in the kitchen. After filling the bright orange kettle with water from the faucet, she put it on the back burner of the stove. She turned the dial to hear the clicking, followed by flames bursting to life underneath the kettle. The orange flame turned into blue as she fled to the couch.

Misty sat on the couch in between May and Green. She took a bite of the bagel. To her delight, it was blueberry, one of her favorites. She was astonished that there hadn't been more for her, for she knew about the breakfast Daisy had planned for them. She pondered on how much they could have possibly eaten.

"Sorry, we didn't have more for you, Misty," Daisy said as she sat in the armchair. She rested her binder in her lap before opening it and flipping through the pages. "Ash and Gary crashed our picnic, so it was lucky that I had anything to bring back."

"You saw Ash?" Misty said, now wishing even more that she had been able to make it.

"Yeah," Daisy said. For a moment, she wanted to tell Misty that they had offered to let him come along, but she thought better of it, especially considering how Ash had declined. "He was there, visiting Grandpa and his Pokémon."

"Oh."

"So do you still like him, Misty?" May asked.

"Huh? What makes you say that?"

"I was just wondering," May shrugged.

"He's okay—I don't know. Let's get through these plans, shall we?"

"Sure thing, Misty," Daisy chuckled as the kettle whistled. She shut off the stove as she grabbed the handle. Once snatching four mugs, she brought the hot water over along with some tea bags. There was already sugar on the table. She placed the kettle on a trivet shaped like a Marill, and returned to her place in the chair. Knowing that they did not have much time before the dress fitting, they went straight to work on the final wedding details.

"Daisy you look so gorgeous!" Green cooed.

It was near the end of their appointment at Julianna's Dress Boutique. Green, May, and Misty had already tried on their dresses and had any last minute alterations. The only one left was Daisy. She stood in front of them in her gown, which was faintly silver instead of white. Since their wedding was set on New Year's Eve, Daisy wanted to go with colors that fit the theme. She decided on having a classic grey and royal purple, which meant that all the groomsmen had grey suits and the bridesmaids had dresses made of purple material. Misty would not have normally minded as much, except for the fact that the gown was so poufy that it made her look like a purple-frosted-cupcake.

"Misty, what do you think?"

"Huh?"

"How does it look?"

"Oh right," she said, almost in a daze. "It looks amazing on you."

"Hey, May," Green said. "We should try on some wedding dresses, too. You know, for fun."

"No, that would be silly," May said, emitting a nervous laugh. Knowing her luck, Drew would show up to see her in a white wedding dress. That would freak him out for sure.

"Oh c'mon," Green said, tugging on May's arm. "Misty, back me up here."

"Sorry," she said. "I'm with May on this one."

"You two are no fun," Green pouted as the other two giggled at her expression.

Misty remained silent for the rest of the afternoon, too lost in her own thoughts to interact with her friends. Ever since she was a little girl, she wanted to get married and live happily ever after. It started when her parents had died mostly. She missed them terribly, and thinking about getting married was a method of coping for her. She often wondered what her husband would be like.

There had been a few young men to ask her out in recent weeks, as soon as she had returned, completely ignoring the rumors that she and Ash were dating. In normal circumstances, she would have given some of these guys a chance, maybe gone out for tea or lunch. However, ever since Ash waltzed back into her life, she could not get him out of her head. She tried so hard to get him to notice her. She thought that he might see her the way she had always seen him now that he had stopped training his Pokémon, but it was still no use. She watched Daisy finish her fitting with a great sadness inside of her heart, with the possibility of never getting married plaguing her, for she could only see herself with Ash Ketchum.


	17. Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

Misty arrived at the hotel in the middle of the afternoon. The weather was warm and comfortable, certainly not as hot as it had been the summer they were traveling in the Orange Islands. The automatic doors slid open as she strolled into the main lobby, tugging her suitcase behind her with one hand, the other holding Cleffa against her chest. The fairy Pokémon seemed delighted to be there; Misty, on the other hand, had mixed feelings about it.

The lobby was smaller than she had expected for such an expensive hotel. She was relieved when she learned that Daisy was going to pay for everything for her bridesmaids as a thank you. There were faux fir trees adorned with Christmas lights and ornaments. It was a bit disconcerting to see all of these decorations with the warm weather outside. She typically associated those things with the cold and snow. This would be her first Christmas in such a tropical climate. When she had arrived, she saw many palm trees sporting their Christmas lights too. Something about it seemed wrong to her.

She stood stagnate for a moment, her eyes searching for a familiar face. When she had decided that there was no one she knew around, she headed to the reception desk. The woman at the reception desk smiled brightly at her, her dark skin in contrast to her pearly-white teeth. Misty grinned back sheepishly.

"Checking in?"

"Yes," Misty replied. "Misty Waterflower."

"All right, let's see. You're staying until the third of January, is that correct?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Okay, Miss Waterflower," she said handing Misty a keycard. "Here is your room key. You're in 591. We hope that your stay is a pleasant one."

"Thanks," she said, taking it from her.

"Hey Misty," a low voice said behind her.

Her heart skipped a beat. She knew that voice. It had been one that she had to grown accustomed to in the past couple of months, but now the voice that meant home to her. She whipped around to see Ash standing before her, wearing a ghastly looking Hawaii shirt and khakis. Pikachu was perched on his shoulder, but there was no bag in sight. He was more handsome than she had remembered. Her picture of him in her mind had not done him justice.

"Pikachupi!" Pikachu exclaimed, happy to see his favorite human after Ash.

"Hey there, Pikachu," she said. "Hi Ash."

"I missed you," he admitted, as he rushed toward her. He flung his arms around her and captured her in his tight embrace. Misty felt as though she were on fire. Her face was hot with attraction, and every muscle in her body was tingling. He was so delighted to see her that he even went as far as to lift her off of her feet. She was startled by his actions, her heart accelerating rapidly. After a few brief moments of breathlessness, he set her back down, though her mind remained in the clouds.

"I, uh, missed you, too."

"Did you just get here?"

"Yeah, a few minutes ago," she replied, still in a daze from his presence.

"What room are you in?" he asked, plucking her suitcase from her hand.

"591," she replied.

"Ah, so your room is on the floor above mine," he said as he started walking toward the elevator, her suitcase trailing behind him.

"You know I can do that myself," she complained.

"Would you let me help you for once?" he retorted.

She made no reply as they stepped into the elevator. The only sounds were made by their Pokémon chatting away at each other. She felt slightly awkward around him for some reason. They saw each other a couple of months ago, but there was something different about all of it. Maybe it was the fact that there was a wedding in about a week and the atmosphere of love was in the air. Not to mention, there was the spirit of Christmas upon them. She stared at him the entire ride, from the moment he pushed the fifth floor button to the second he stepped off the elevator. Misty could not quite put her finger on what was different about him.

The two of them travelled down the hallway toward Misty's room. Ash continued to roll her suitcase for the entirety of the trip. They reached room 591, the absolute last one. Misty whipped out her keycard and inserted it in the slot. The light above turned green, and the door popped open. The pair entered Misty's room, with Misty setting Cleffa down so it could run around on it's own.

To her surprise, Misty had apparently gotten a suite. Ash and Misty entered the small sitting room, complete with a tiny kitchenette, loveseat, and TV. They walked beyond that into the bedroom portion of the place. There was a queen-sized bed in the center with another TV opposite to it, resting on a large dresser. Why there were two televisions in close proximity was beyond Misty. She thought it was a bit unnecessary.

Beyond the furniture were two large sliding doors on either side of the corner of the room, leading out to a large terrace. They had been left open, allowing the breeze to blow the large opaque curtains. The fabric flowed about against the glass. She inhaled the crisp air deeply.

Ash placed her suitcase at the foot of her bed, which looked like a giant cloud with all of the white pillows and duvet. Misty placed her small bag, which had been hanging on her shoulder, on the nightstand next to the bed. She was unsure of what to say to Ash. She had various questions for him, but he was like a Stantler in the forest, one wrong move would send him running. There was a note addressed to her waiting on the bed. She snatched it up and ripped open the envelope.

"Well, I'll go, so you can settle in," Ash said, making his way to the door. "My room is directly below yours in 491 if you need anything."

"Wait!" she exclaimed.

"What is it?" he asked, pausing his hand on the handle.

"Um," she said, stalling. The truth was she had said that impulsively, without thought of what she was going to say after stopping him. "Do you want to do something later?"

"Yeah sure. We could go along the beach if you want. Brock's here, too. Should I invite him?"

"Of course," she said with a smile.

"All right," he said, moving away from the door briefly in order to give her a swift peck on the forehead. "I'll see you in an hour then?"

"Sounds great."

"Bye."

Ash exited the room, leaving Misty breathless, her cheeks showing a twinge of pink. It had not been until she saw him that she realized how much she had missed him over the past couple of months. With all that had been going on, perhaps it was time to tell him about how she felt. She contemplated this while pulling out a card with loopy handwriting:

_Misty,_

_Ta-da! I hope that you liked this surprise! Tracey and I agreed that we should get a suite for the Maid of Honor and the Best Man. Personally, I would have hoped that the two of you would have gotten together by now, so I would have only had to pay for one suite instead of two, but don't worry. It's okay. You should take the opportunity of being on a romantic island though. Come by my room (it's actually the suite across from yours) later on tonight when you get a chance. Tracey and I went snorkeling, so I'm out until then._

_Happy vacationing!_

_Daisy_

She smiled, placing the card down on the nightstand, next to her bag. Not knowing what to do with herself for the next hour, she popped into the bathroom to investigate it. It was fantastic, like the rest of the suite. The floors were granite. There were two sinks in the room. In addition to a shower, there was an enormous Jacuzzi tub. Wasting no time, Misty dashed back to her suitcase and unzipped the side. After rummaging briefly, she found her toiletries. She knew exactly what she was going to do until meeting up with Ash and Brock—take a long deserved bubble bath.

 

"I'm so glad that you asked me to come with you, Misty. This is fantastic!"

May and Misty walked along the sidewalk, their hands adorned with paper shopping bags. It was Christmas Eve, and although there was sure to be some craziness from the impending holiday, Misty invited May to go shopping with her. She had a few last minute gifts to buy, and she did not know anyone better to take than May. They decided to avoid the nearest mall because it would certainly be crowded, not to mention, neither wanted to pay for a taxi.

The two women opted to go to small local shops within walking distance. They sported festive sundresses and sunglasses on top of their heads. Before they were going to have lunch at the café next door to the hotel, they went into a shop with wholesome ingredients for making Pokémon food. It would make a good gift for Brock, Misty decided. They browsed through one of the small aisles, picking up small bottles and smelling the contents. Misty grabbed a few medium jars and headed toward the register.

"So after this, are you all done?" May asked her.

"Not entirely, I don't think," the redhead admitted. "I still need to find a gift for Ash."

"Misty, it's Christmas Eve, and you haven't gotten anything for him yet?"

"That's not entirely true. I _did_ get him something months ago when he was traveling, but I don't know if it would be right to give it to him now."

"I'm sure he'll still like it," May said. "It could even encourage him to get back out there."

"You're probably right," Misty said as she placed the items on the counter as the woman commented that she would be back in a few minutes. "Do you know why he came home so suddenly?"

"No, it's a mystery to me, too," May said, refraining from mentioning the rumor she had heard that he had started dating Serena, and as soon as she had become a world-class Pokémon performer, she dumped him for some other guy in the Pokémon contest circuit. She did not wish to upset Misty, and she wasn't even certain if it were true. She had overheard a group of people talking at her last contest, but when she discussed it with Drew, he hadn't heard about it at all.

"There you go, ladies," said the woman as she rang up their items.

"Thanks," replied Misty, taking the bag from her.

"Misty, is that you?" a male voice said behind them.

Both women turned to see an older man standing in front of them. He was as tall as Brock, if not, taller. His hair was auburn, and his eyes were dark brown. The man was wearing black pants and a white, buttoned shirt. There was something in his stance and smirk that was familiar to Misty. It was a moment before it dawned on her.

"Rudy?"

"In the flesh," he said.

"What are you doing here?"

"I could say the same about you," he remarked. "I live on a nearby island, remember?"

Misty had forgotten that Trovita Island was close to where they were. In fact, she hadn't thought about him much over the past decade. Having him in front of her pulled her back to the couple of days first spent with his sister and him. Seeing him, she pondered what her life would have been like if she accepted. She'd be a housewife, with kids most likely, not the successful gym leader she was. She and Rudy could have gotten divorced as well. Misty shook those thoughts from her head. May watched on as the two interacted.

"Yes. I know."

"So, what are you doing here?"

"We're going to a wedding in a few days. Our friends are getting married. You've met one of them. Do you remember Tracey?"

"Oh yeah. He's the one that likes to make Pokémon sketches, right?"

"That's right. He's getting married to Professor Oak's granddaughter Daisy.

"Oh. Good for him," Rudy said.

"How's your sister?" Misty asked.

"Mahri? She's doing fine."

"That's great."

"So," he said with a grin. "Do you still need a date for this wedding?"

"No. I'm all set. Thanks for the offer," Misty said quickly.

"Did Ash come to his senses then?"

"Well," she said. "It's not like that."

"I see," he said, taking something out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Give me a call if you change your mind."

"Uh sure."

"See you around, Misty."

"Bye, Rudy," she replied, his business card still clutched in her hands.

May and Misty exited the shop. They turned left and headed toward the café for lunch. Misty, who was in a daze, continued to hold the card, unsure of what to do with it. Should she give up on Ash? She wondered if it would be the right decision to call Rudy.

"So _who_ was that?" May asked, the curiosity killing her.

Misty sighed. "I'll explain when we get some food in us."

"Wow," May said when she had finished her story about Rudy and the decision she had to make all those years ago.

"That's all you can say?"

"So let me get this straight," May said as Misty took a bite of her sandwich. "He _proposed_ to you?"

"Yeah."

"If you had accepted and stayed with him, you would have been married a long time ago?"

"Well yeah, I would have thought that part was obvious."

"But you chose to stay with Ash?"

"Would you stop asking questions when you already know the answers?"

"Sorry, said May. "Does Ash know about any of this?"

"No," admitted Misty.

"Why didn't you ever tell him?"

She plopped the final piece of sandwich in her mouth. "Telling him would have basically meant admitting my feelings, especially with the comment Rudy made to him when we left."

"That wouldn't be the end of the world, would it?"

"Ash and I…have a complicated history."

"I understand," May nodded, shoving a large fork-full of baked macaroni and cheese in her mouth. She sipped her soda before continuing. "However, I know what it's like to be in the dark. It was years until I realized that Drew had noticed me at all. It's always hard to admit something like that, but let me say this. You're never going to win if you take yourself out of the game."

"Honestly, I want to get through this wedding. Daisy has been driving me crazy."

May laughed. "Remind me to never make her my maid of honor."

"She could never be your maid of honor," Misty reminded May. "She'd be your Matron of Honor, in any case."

"Oh whatever," said May as they stood up. She put money down on the table. "You know what I meant."

"C'mon let's go," Misty said, grabbing her stuff. "I have a few more things to do before dinner tonight."

The two left the café, going toward more shops. Misty hoped that she could find something for a backup for Ash's present in case that he didn't want it. Truthfully, she wanted a distraction. As the walked among different shops, she considered May's words carefully. Part of her knew that admitting her feelings to him was well overdue, but the other part of her was petrified. It was uncertain which side of her would ultimately win.

 

"There she is! Hey Misty! We're over here!"

Ash waved his arms in the air when he saw Misty walk into the hotel's restaurant. She peered around and smiled upon seeing him. She rushed over to the table. Everyone else was already there for the planned Christmas Eve dinner. The entire party filled two circular tables. At one table were Professor Oak, Delia, Gary, Green, and Misty's sisters. At the other were Ash, Brock, Tracey, Daisy Oak, May, and Drew. The only seat available was in between Ash and Daisy. Once she had reached the table, Ash motioned for her to sit with him.

"How was your shopping trip?" he said, handing her Cleffa, whom he had spent the afternoon watching.

"Cleffa!" the pink Pokémon shouted, excited to see its trainer.

"It was pretty good," she replied with a grin as she sat down. Taking her Pokémon back, she cuddled it closely in her arms. It squealed in delight.

"Yeah, we had a great time. It's too bad you couldn't come with us, Daisy."

"I…um…had other things to do," Daisy replied before shoving almost a whole slice of bread in her face.

"Uh huh," May said, the skepticism running rampant in her voice.

"Oh really?" Misty said, raising an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Oh it wouldn't interest you," Tracey chimed in. "I'd like to hear about Drew's latest contest."

"Wait," interrupted Misty. "Why would what she was doing have anything to do with you?"

"Well, I…um….never mind."

"Oh no!" shouted May. "Tell us! You are not getting out of this one."

"Dude, teach me," Brock said desperately, keeping his eyes on Lily and Violet eating at the other table.

"Brock, I already told you," Misty said in aspiration. "My sisters are _not_ interested in you, so stop scaring them."

"Sorry," Brock sighed, hanging his head in shame.

"What are you all talking about?" Ash asked.

Misty smacked her palm against her head. Ash was as dense as ever. If anyone were still a virgin at table, it would have been him, Misty had decided. It appeared to her that he continued to be oblivious to the opposite sex. A strange thought crossed her. Maybe he never noticed her because he would never be interested in women. It was a silly notion, Misty concluded not long after the thought had first occurred to her. She recalled his first reaction to seeing Giselle, and told off her brain for even thinking such crazy ideas.

The rest of dinner went well. The old friends chatted away as they ate a four-course dinner, consisting of soup, salad, turkey dinner, and dessert. They were enjoying some cherry pie when May decided to take things down an interesting turn. She would bring Ash and Misty together, even if it killed her.

"You'll never guess who Misty and I ran into today," she said to Tracey, looking at Ash and Misty in her peripheral vision. Misty stopped what she was saying to Ash and turned five shades whiter.

"Who?"

"Wait—"

"That guy you met on Trovita Island—Rudy."

Ash nearly choked on his drink. "You mean the Trovita gym leader?"

"Yeah," said May. "That's the guy."

"Hmmm," Tracey said. "Wasn't he in love with you, Misty?"

"Huh?" Misty said, shooting up in her chair. "N-no. I don't know what talking about."

"What did he want?" Ash demanded, staring at Misty, his eyes piercing hers.

"Nothing, really," Misty said with an uneven laugh.

"To be her date for the wedding," May piped up, ignoring the death glares from the red head. "He gave her his number and everything."

Ash whipped his head back to Misty. "You aren't going to call that guy, are you?"

"And what would you say if I did?" she snapped. "You are not the boss of me."

"I never said I was."

"Then, why do you feel the need to make it your business?"

She stood up abruptly, nearly knocking her chair back and on to the floor. It tipped back in place, causing a loud ruckus. The two tables grew silent. Everyone was staring at the two pair, suspended in mid-action. Unable to handle further embarrassment, Misty snatched her purse, picked up Cleffa, and fled the scene. Ash went to run after her, but was stopped by Brock, who said it would be best to give Misty her space. Ash plopped back into his seat, leaving his pie untouched, having lost his appetite.

 

"I'm sorry for storming out like that last night."

Ash looked up to see Misty standing over him, her bag slung over her shoulder. He was sitting out by the pool, his legs dipped into the cool water. Pikachu was playing in a small, inflatable kiddie pool nearby. He wanted to swim in the large pool, but Ash thought that it might have been too risky. Misty waltzed over and placed Cleffa with Pikachu before returning. She was wearing a strapless dress over her bikini, her hair put up in her side-ponytail. Yanking the hem of the dress up a little, she sat on the edge of the pool next to Ash and placed her legs in the water. She took off her bag and gently dropped it to the side of her.

"It's all right," Ash said. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to upset you last night."

"It wasn't entirely your fault. Seeing Rudy brought up a lot of memories for me. I was overwhelmed by a lot of it."

"What do you mean?"

Misty hesitated. May's words echoed in her head. With Ash staring at her with his soft, brown eyes, she came to her resolve. She would tell him about Rudy. However, she would leave out some key details, for the moment, until she was ready.

"When we were on Trovita Island," she began. "Do you remember that Rudy invited me to spend time with him the night before your match?"

"Uh huh," Ash said. "I remember. What about it?"

"Well," she said, inhaling. "When I was with him, he asked me to stay with him."

"For how long?"

"Like to live there, Ash."

"Oh," he said in a low voice. "Why didn't you? He obviously really liked you and would have made you happy."

"I don't know if I would have been happy though," she said. "I thought about it a lot last night when I went up to my room. Sure, I was flattered by his offer, but I realized that I'd be giving up my dream of being a great water Pokémon trainer if I stayed. Traveling around with you, Brock, and Tracey made me better. That would have ended if I had stayed behind with him. It worked out for the best though. I became an excellent gym leader, and I'm happy for that."

"That's true," he said. "But do you regret giving up on a love like that?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I don't believe I gave up on anything." It was true. She may have gotten caught up in what Rudy was saying to her, but ultimately, she had spent years with Ash instead, the one who had captured her heart without trying or even knowing. A jolt ran through her when their eyes locked for a split second, taking her breath away. She averted her eyes, clearing her throat at the same time.

"Anyway," she said, going into her bag. She revealed a long angular box, adorned with green ribbon. "Merry Christmas. I hope that you like it. I bought it for you months ago, so I don't know if it'll be useful to you now, but here."

Ash took the box in his hand. He tugged the ribbon loose. It came off, nearly falling in the pool before Ash snatched it. He tossed aside onto the stone pavement around the pool. He gingerly lifted the cover of the box off and placed it with the ribbon. Inside the box was a black Pokegear—one of the latest models. He realized that she must have spent a lot on it. Not only that, she must had bought it when he was still Pokémon training. He gaped at it, unable to speak. He had always needed something like this, especially with his record for getting lost. This was one of the best gifts he had ever received.

"Thanks," he muttered, all other words failing him in that moment.

"So you actually like it?"

"Yeah, this is great!" he said excitedly.

"Well, I thought, with you know, you not training any more, you might not want this as much."

"Not at all," he said with a grin. "I love it."

"Oh good," she said. "So where's my present then?"

Her words made him stop in his tracks. "Um…"

"Well?"

"You see the thing is—"

"Ash Ketchum, you better have a Christmas present for me or I swear I will make you wish that you weren't born!"

"Misty, chill out!"

"Don't make me hurt you," she said, grabbing at his shoulders.

"Pikapi! Pikachupi!"

Both turned their heads, their attention diverted to the yellow mouse. Cleffa, who had been sitting next to Pikachu, was now glowing white. Misty stared in awe as it changed form. The light dissipated, leaving Clefairy in place of where Cleffa had been. Clefairy looked back at Pikachu and smiled. The other Pokémon stared a bit, captivated by its beauty. Pikachu blushed, not knowing what to do. Misty had already rushed over to great her new Pokémon before he could speak.

"Clefairy!" the Pokémon shouted once Misty had taken it into her arms.

"Oh, you're even cuter now!" she exclaimed.

"You always wanted a Clefairy," Ash commented, running up to them.

"And now I do," she said. Her expression hardened a little bit. "This does not get you off the hook."

"Uh…"

"Well?"

"I don't have your gift on me," Ash finally admitted. He started walking toward the other direction. Misty responded with a sour expression and putting her hands on her hips.

"Where are you going?"

"I have things to do before tonight. C'mon Pikachu!"

"Pika!"

"I'll see you at the party tonight!" Ash shouted back to her before running into the back entrance of the hotel.

"I swear that he would lose his head if it weren't attached to his neck," Misty said to Clefairy, sighing deeply.

"Fairy!" Clefairy nodded in agreement.

 

Ash arrived in the hotel's ballroom later that night. There was an enormous Christmas party being held for all of the guests in the hotel. Ash dressed in business casual clothes for the event, not quite sure how formal it was meant to be. He walked in, with Pikachu on his shoulder, relieved that his choice in clothes was appropriate. The ballroom was vast with plenty of space for dancing in the center. There were round tables on either side of the dance floor, adorned with white tablecloths, complete with red trim. As part of each centerpiece, there was a miniature Christmas tree on each table.

Ash peered around for Misty, but he could not locate her in the crowd. Figuring that she was not there yet, he made a beeline for the food table. His stomach grumbled as the aroma of all the food hit him like a tsunami. Ash had never seen a buffet like this one. There were three different salads, four different soups, all sorts of appetizers, and various kinds of bread, some that he had never seen. As he continued to the main entrees, he took a bite of unknown bread, delighted to discover that it was a slice of a gingerbread loaf, complemented with a lemon icing.

He gave his second slice of gingerbread loaf to Pikachu, who took it happily. His Pokémon chomped away greedily as Ash moved on to shoving as many things onto his plate as possible. He could not believe his eyes. There were four types of potatoes, sweet and white. There was stuffing, along with ham, roast pork, roast beef, chicken, and turkey. Ash saw the dessert table, but thought it best to finish his dinner before he stuffed himself silly with sweets.

He found Brock chatting away with a young woman at a table not far from where he was. As he sat down, he noticed that the woman seemed annoyed by Brock. Pikachu hopped down from his shoulder and onto a chair next to Ash. She stormed off in a huff, causing Ash to pause from placing his food down. Brock was dejected from her reaction. Ash shook his head and put the plate on the table. Before sitting next to his friend, he clapped him on the back.

"Rough night with the ladies?" Ash asked.

"You have no idea," replied Brock. He gulped down the rest of his beer. "Speaking of ladies, have you given Misty her present yet?"

"No," Ash said. "I've been waiting for the right moment."

"Don't wait for Christmas to be over!" Brock chuckled.

"I have it with me now," Ash said. "I don't know where she is though. Have you seen her?"

"No, man, I haven't."

"I'm sure she'll show up, eventually."

They spent their time eating dinner and searching for women that might interest Brock, an activity that went on pause when Delia came around to chat. Once Ash had finished his meal, he made his way to the dessert station with Pikachu.

There were various cakes—German chocolate cake, carrot, fruit, banana, vanilla, and black forest, to name a few. Ash saw a whole table of pies and tarts as well. There was one dessert that interested him at that time—and it was Christmas cookies.

He snatched a bunch in his hand and began munching away at them. There were not as good as his mother's, but they were delicious nonetheless. He was in the middle of shoving one in his mouth when he felt a tap on his shoulder. When he turned, his discovered Daisy Oak in front of him.

"Hey Ash," she said, giving him a warm embrace. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you, too," replied Ash. "Hey, have you seen Misty?"

"Yeah. She's out on the veranda over there," Daisy replied, pointing her finger to the right.

"Thanks," he said before heading in that direction.

He inhaled deeply as he moved outside. The warm breeze tickled his nose, but it did little to calm his nerves. He did not see anyone at first, but when he turned his head to the right, the red-haired beauty appeared before him.

She was leaving against the railing, her hair and green dress billowing in the breeze. Any oxygen that had been inside him escaped his body. There was a lump in his throat he swallowed back before approaching her.

"Hey, Misty," he said brightly.

"Oh, hi, Ash," she said, turning her head in his direction. She flipped her body around to face him. She was smiling, but he noticed sadness in her eyes. Ash offered her his last cookie, which was still in his hand. She took it, muttering her thanks. She bit the cookie, her mood lifting, though only slightly.

"Are you okay?" Ash asked.

"I guess," she said, sounding sad.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't want to bother you with my problems," she replied.

Ash looked her square in the eyes. "You'd never bother me. You can tell me anything."

"I was thinking about my parents," she confessed.

"Your parents?"

"Yes. You see, they were coming home from a party like this a few weeks before Christmas when they were killed by a drunk driver."

"Misty—"

"I'm fine," she said, her eyes watering. "I miss them, that's all. Being at a Christmas party made me think about them."

Ash embraced her tightly. "I'm so sorry, Misty. I wish I could change things and make it better for you."

"Thanks," she said, breaking away from him. She brushed the tears away from her eyes.

"Here," he said, handing her a small box, tied with a blue ribbon. "Maybe this will make you feel a little better."

"Oh, so you _did_ get me a present after all."

She removed the ribbon and opened the box. Inside of it was a pokeball. She removed it, slightly confused. She held onto it until Ash motioned for her to go on and use it. She threw the ball to the other side of the veranda. It opened up with a pop and a flash of light. In its place, there was a large blue Pokémon.

"Poreon," the Pokémon said.

"A Vaporeon?" said Misty. "I don't understand."

"It's all yours," said Ash. "Merry Christmas."

"What?"

"Do you remember our last night in the Sevii Islands when I was late for the festival, and you yelled at me for it?"

"Ash, that happened two months ago. Of course I remember."

"Well what I was doing was trying to find a water Pokémon to catch for you for Christmas. I had almost given up when I found Vaporeon injured on some rocks. I captured it and spent the past couple of months nursing it back to health. I told it all about you, so it knows that it's yours. The reason I was late was I ran into Team Rocket, and they tried to take Vaporeon and Pikachu. You know how that gets."

"And you couldn't tell me because you didn't want to ruin the surprise."

"Yeah, that's right."

Misty called back Vaporeon with the pokeball. It disappeared in a ray of light, returning to its ball. She stared at it for a good minute, tears forming in her eyes again. For a moment, Ash thought that he had done something wrong. That thought changed when she flung her arms around him.

"Thank you!" she cried. "I love it. You're the best!"

"Uh, you're welcome," he said sheepishly, blushing slightly. "Should we go inside and join everyone else?"

The two went to go inside, Pikachu at their heels. Ash paused for a moment in the threshold, searching for any of their friends. Before he could point them out, Misty peered above them, observing a little sprig hanging innocently. She recognized it immediately.

"Hey Ash, did you notice that we are standing under mistletoe?"

"Huh?" he said, also looking up at the devilish plant. "I'm going to get some Christmas cookies!"

"But you just got some Christmas cookies!"

"I know," he said, rushing away from the scene. "I want some more! C'mon, Pikachu!"

"What's his problem, Pikachu?"

"Pika pika!" he replied before dashing off to meet his trainer.

Misty followed them over, feeling a bit disappointed. She thought that he might have kissed her with that sort of encouragement. However, the amount of people could have scared him off at the same time. There was the nagging feeling that he might not have wanted to kiss her at all, but she pushed it to the back of the mind. She wouldn't let it ruin her holiday. She spent the rest of the night with Ash and the rest of her friends, a new warmth taking hold in her heart.


	18. Intervention

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer:I do not own Pokemon.

Two days later, Misty was with Daisy on the beach behind the hotel. The two were going over the lay out of the wedding and the reception. Daisy had a tide chart in her hand, looking it over. Her Maid of Honor followed her along the shore, Clefairy and Vaporeon at her heels. Pikachu, who seemed to have this infatuation with Clefairy, was with them as well. Daisy paused at the edge of the beach, where the hotel's terrace began.

"I can't decide where we should stand for the ceremony," she said.

"Anywhere would be fine, Daisy, as long as it's not in the ocean," Misty replied.

"I'm worried that I'm not using this tide chart correctly."

"Oh give it here," Misty said, snatching the piece of paper. "I don't know what you're so worried about. It's high tide right now. You can't go wrong with trying the set up in these conditions because we won't end up in several feet of water that way."

"Poreon!"

The water Pokemon nodded in agreement, wagging its tail. Its trainer grinned brightly. She couldn't contain her excitement. She loved it so much, although she hadn't had Vaporeon long. She had always wanted one. Her parents had given her a stuffed one for Christmas—the absolute last gift they had given her. She never was able to say thank-you, considering her sisters found the gifts hidden among their parent's possessions when they were sorting through them. Misty had been on a quest to find one of her own ever since that year. Ash giving her one made it sweeter.

"Vaporeon is a real cutie," Daisy commented as she observed Misty.

"Yeah. Of course all of my Pokemon are cute!"

"Even Gyarados?"

" _Especially_ Gyarados."

The walked up to the patio, Daisy switching papers, replacing the tide chart with the seating chart. There would be over one hundred guests, and she was trying to figure out if she could avoid putting some tables on the edge of the beach. Misty pointed out that they could put the DJ on the beach instead so people could dance in the sand. Daisy sighed, and reluctantly agreed, disappointed at the amount of sand that would collect in her shoes. Taking a break, they sat down on the beach and watched Clefairy, Pikachu, and Vaporeon prance in the waves.

"I can't believe Ash went out of his way to catch you a Pokemon," Daisy said.

"What do you mean?" Misty asked.

"That's not something someone does for just a friend."

"Daisy, it's not like that," Misty retorted. "We've been best friends for nearly thirteen years now."

"I still say that he would like something more than friendship."

"He'll never see me like that," Misty said, a quiver in her voice. "He's always seen Pokemon, and that's all."

"But Misty—"

"I have to start getting things ready for tonight," Misty said, getting up. "Be at my suite at eight tonight, okay?"

"Sure thing."

"C'mon you guys," she said to the Pokemon as she headed in the direction of the hotel. Although they wanted to stay in the water, they had no choice but to follow her because they loved her more.

 

It was nearly eight later that night. Misty had placed a dozen shot glasses on the coffee table in the sitting area. The girls would be there any minute for Daisy's bachelorette party. They were going to a nearby club for dancing that night, but before they did, they were going to have drinks and hang out in Misty's suite. As she was laying a couple bottles of vodka on the table, next to the glasses, there was a knock on the door.

She went to answer it, expecting it to be some of the girls. When she opened the door, to her surprise, it was Ash instead. As soon as she saw him, a blush crept upon her face. She was a sleeveless dress, the hem ending around her mid-thigh, showing off her long legs, which ended at a pair of black high heels. Her hair was halfway put up in a ponytail, her locks cascading like a waterfall down her shoulders and back. Ash gaped at her, nearly forgetting the reason why he came.

"H-hi Misty," he stammered.

"Ash, what are you doing here?"

"Um," he said, distracted by her outfit. Did she have to show so much skin?

"Well?"

"Have you seen Pikachu?' he asked, finally getting the words out.

"Pikapi!"

Pikachu had come through the door at the sound of his name. The little mouse leapt up into the arms of his owner, delighted to see him. Ash was startled, but relieved, nonetheless. He snuggled Pikachu close.

"He's been with me all day," Misty commented.

"Was he following around Clefairy again?"

"Yeah," she said. "But I think it's cute that Pikachu has a little crush on Clefairy."

"Pika…" Pikachu said, a blush etched across his face.

"So, you're getting ready for the bachelorette party then?"

"Uh yeah," Misty replied, feeling a little self-conscious about her dress for the first time. "We're going dancing at the Espeon Club tonight."

Ash had a desire to go with the ladies instead, one that came on so suddenly that the feeling overwhelmed him. Somehow, spending time somewhere without Misty did not seem fun.

"That sounds better than what we're doing."

"What?" Misty asked with a mischievous grin. "No strippers?"

"No, nothing like that," he said, shuffling his feet. "We're going to a bar for drinks."

"Oh good," Misty replied. "Because Daisy would've killed you if you had done that."

"I know. Brock's really disappointed, though."

"He would be."

"I'll see you later, then?"

"Yeah, of course. Bye, Ash."

Ash left without another word, Pikachu still in his arms. As much as Misty was looking forward to having fun with her friends, she'd rather spend the night with Ash. Thinking of him, she smiled, closing the door and finishing her preparations.

 

"To the bride!" shouted May with a giggle.

Each of the eight women took a shot glass and pressed it against her lips. The warm liquid went smoothly down their throats, but left a burning sensation in their throats. A few of them scrunched up their faces. One or two of them immediately took another shot.

Iris and Dawn had arrived at the hotel earlier that day. The two of them were excited to be there, already drunk as it seemed, holding onto each other as they sat on the floor, swaying slightly.

"I never expected you to be so pretty, Misty," Dawn said.

"Yeah," Iris commented. "Ash never mentioned it…Although, I should have guessed it from how much he used to talk about you."

"Ash talked about me?"

"Yeah," Dawn said. "He talked about all of his friends, but he mentioned you the most. It got annoying to be honest."

"Oh." Misty's cheeks grew a little pink, but it wasn't from the alcohol.

"Are we going to the club yet or what?" Violet complained.

"I guess we could make our way over there," Misty said, turning to Daisy Oak. "What do you think?"

"Let's go get out dance on!"

 

"Another round of drinks, please," Ash said, leaning against the bar. The bartender, a stout man with a balding head, grunted in response before filling steins with amber-colored beer. Ash carried as many as he could in his arms, completing a second trip for the rest. There were fewer men at Tracey's bachelor party, but that didn't stop them from having a good time.

Brock had tried to order a stripper, but Ash swiftly stopped him. As interesting as it might have been, Ash feared Daisy's reaction. Growing up with her, he knew not to get on her bad side.

The guys started playing poker, using snacks to bet instead of money. Brock sulked for the next hour, picking his head up when the occasional woman passed their table. Ash ordered another drink, trying to forget about the red-headed beauty and the arms that she might be wrapped in.

 

The girls danced to a techno song as the lights on the dance floor flashed around. Misty's sisters were surrounded by a horde of attractive men. She watched as her sisters flirted with them and rolled her eyes. Even out here, they got all of the attention. Misty sighed, leaving everyone to get another drink. She was in the mood for something sweeter, so she ordered a cosmo. The bartender, a decent-looking man himself, handed her the drink with a wink. Flustered, Misty snatched the drink and turned to retreat. She smacked into someone, sloshing her drink over the sides of the glass slightly. Once she had steadied her body, she turned her head up to see Rudy.

"Hey Misty," he said. "Fancy seeing you here. Are you stalking me now or something?"

"You wish," she teased. "I'm at my friend's bachelorette party right now. If you'll excuse me, I need to get back to my friends."

She shifted away from him and towards the dance floor. Her motions were cut short by his hand resting on her arm. His fingers tightened on her limb, causing her to stop. He let go as he moved closer to her.

"Where's your hurry?" he asked. She took a sip of her drink. The sugar and the alcohol went instantly to her head, giving her a buzz.

"Rudy, I'm here to have fun with my friends. I'll talk to you later," she said, moving to leave once more.

Rudy cut in front of her. "Come dance with me," he said, holding out his hand.

"Um." Misty was hesitant, unsure of where this was headed.

"Why don't you want to? It's only dancing, you know. I want to spend time with you…I don't think that is something so wrong, do you?"

"Well no. I understand that."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Nothing. I'll see you later." She turned to walk away once more, but this time it was his words that stopped her.

"It's because of Ash isn't it?" She did not look at him, but he continued anyway. "You can't wait for him forever."

She shifted her body towards him, locking eyes with him. There was intensity in his countenance, almost challenging her. Rudy was different than she remembered. Instead of showering her with compliments and affection, he was more straightforward, almost to the point of being over demanding. She had to wonder if her rejection had a lasting effect on him.

He was right, however. She could not hang onto the hope that Ash would come to his senses until she was frail and grey. She had been missing out on opportunities to move her life forward ever since he had come back home. Perhaps it was time that she moved on without him. Giving Rudy a chance could be the beginning of that.

"All right," she said. "I'll dance with you."

"I knew that you would," he said with a smirk, taking her hand.

She giggled as the two made their way to the dance floor. There were many groups and couples moving to an upbeat, techno song. Misty danced with Rudy, her cares fluttering away. It was not as if she were looking for a relationship with him, however. It would have been difficult to date him, anyway. She wanted a little fun. There was nothing to feel guilty about, yet somehow there was a twinge of it there. Letting the music take her over, she pushed the thoughts of Ash out of her mind.

May, who had been taking a break to the side, noticed the pair. She was flabbergasted to see Misty giving into this guy. With a plan formulated, May marched over, determined to break up the two. She tapped Misty on the shoulder, causing the gym leader to jump slightly.

"Misty, can I speak with you? Alone?"

"Can't you see that I'm a bit busy?" she snapped.

"Please," May begged. "It's about Drew."

Misty sighed. "Fine. I'll be right back, Rudy. Okay?"

"I'll be here waiting for you," he said flirtatiously.

May snatched Misty's arm and dragged her across the room towards one of the booths. Misty came grudgingly. As the reached the booth, May released her friend. They both sat down. There was anticipation in the air.

"So what's this about Drew?"

"Oh nothing," May admitted. "I only said that to get you away from that guy."

"May!"

"What do you think you are doing?"

"I'm just having some fun."

"With Rudy?"

Misty looked cross. "I don't see the problem with it. I'm young and single, so why not?"

"What about Ash?" There was a blazing fire in May's eyes. Every time Misty glanced at her, they scorched her soul.

"What about him? It's not like I am getting any where with him. As Rudy said, I can't wait for him forever."

May pondered her words for a moment. "You know, he's right."

"He is?" Misty asked, shocked to hear her agreeing with the idea.

"Yes," May said. "You can't wait for Ash forever. You need to tell him how you feel."

"But May—"

"No, Misty. You can't keep going on wondering what if. You need to tell him. If he doesn't want you the same way, then you know for sure and can move on. You're never going to know if you sit around and wait for him. This is Ash we're talking about here."

May's words sunk in, causing Misty to feel guilty once again. Like years ago, she had been swept up by Hurricane Rudy. She had to tell Ash. If he saw her platonically, then she would know that it was where she stood. It would hurt like hell, sure, but at least she would know that she needed to give up on him. When could she do it though? If she told him now and was rejected, she might not be her best for the wedding. Not to mention, it could get awkward between them. For Daisy's sake, she would wait until the morning after. That way she could separate from him if needed.

"Fine," she said to May, who was biting her lip. "I'll tell him—but only after the wedding."

"Fair enough," said May. "What are you going to do about lover boy over there?"

She heaved a heavy sigh. "I guess I am going to have to reject him… _again_ ," she said, rising from her seat.

"Good luck."

Misty walked back to where Rudy was, her heart pounding. I was never easy to do something that would knowingly hurt someone. He smiled at her until he realized that she did not return the gesture. His face fell like the Berlin Wall.

"I can't do this," she said.

"Why not?"

"Because—" she said, inhaling sharply. "Because I'm in love with Ash Ketchum."

She was startled by how easily the words flowed out of her mouth. Rudy's countenance was unchanging. He swallowed, but allowed her to continue.

"I've always been in love with him, even from the day I met him. It took me a while to realize it, but once I did, it never went away."

Rudy kissed her on the cheek. "I understand. I hope he makes you happy."

"He does," she said, the corners of her mouth tugging upwards.

"It was nice seeing you again, Misty."

"Bye, Rudy," she said as he left. This had been the easy task. What would be more difficult was telling Ash the same thing.

 

"Why don't any of these girls like me?"

Brock sulked back to their table after another woman had rejected them. The poker game had ended a while ago. They started doing their own things after that point. It wasn't much of a bachelor party, to be honest. Perhaps Ash should have hired a stripper. Ash sat alone, watching Cilan and Tracey facing Drew and Gary in a game of pool when Brock joined him.

"Maybe you should stop using the pick-up lines," Ash said.

"You're starting to sound like Misty," Brock replied.

Ash rested his head in his arms. "Because she's right."

"Then what do I say to all the ladies?"

"How about you be yourself," Ash grumbled.

Brock was about to retort when she walked into the bar. The woman, who appeared to be around his age, immediately captivated Brock. She was not one of his usual types. She was beautiful, but not in an obvious way. Her dress of orange, black and white hugged tightly against her curvy body. Her skin was tan in complexion. She had medium length black hair, which she wore in a sort of bob. She had on white high heels and her ears were adorned with these earrings made of grey feathers. Brock had never felt this way about a woman.

Not even having a clue of what to say or do, Brock went over to her anyway. He watched her order a strong drink at the bar. The man brought her a shot glass full of tequila. Without hesitation, the woman pressed the glass against her lips and tipped her head back, the liquid racing down her throat. She briskly requested another when Brock finally approached.

"Hello, Miss," he said, flashing her a smile. "Is this seat taken?"

"No, not at all," she said, gesturing him to sit. He complied almost instantly.

"I'm Brock," he said.

"Millie."

"That's an interesting name."

"Well so is Brock."

"Touche," he said. "So what's your story?"

Ash watched on as the two interacted. He drank excessively, determined to get plastered that night. Brock and Millie chatted for the better part of an hour. Brock could not help but stare into her amber eyes as she talked about her job and Pokemon at home. He found her laugh to be infectious, and the greatest disappointment had befallen him the moment he learned that she had to head out. To his astonishment, she had given him her number. Elated, Brock returned to Ash.

"I'll have to admit," he said, plopping down next to his friend. "Misty was right."

"Of course s-she's right," Ash hiccupped. "She's always right."

Brock raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you think that?"

"Since always, man, since always," Ash sighed. "She's so beautiful…don't you think?"

Brock looked at Ash intently for he was not speaking like the Ash he had always known. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I can't stop thinking about her."

"Who? Misty?"

"Yeah," he replied, staring at the wall. There was nothing to look at there, however. Ash was in a daze, but after a moment of deep thought, or at least as deep as one could have under the influence of that much alcohol, he said, "I think I might be in love with her."

"You what?"

"I love Misty."

Brock frowned. He stole Ash's last mug and took the last swig of it. He had a feeling he was going to need it. Ash did not let him respond, continuing to ramble.

"It's been driving me crazy for months now. That's why I decided to stay at home and not see her the past month…to see if this would all go away, except it hasn't. I still think about her all the time."

Brock had expected this sort of thing to come from Misty, but not Ash. Although it came as a surprise, he was glad that Ash was admitting this to him. Brock knew that they both loved each other. All that was needed now was for one of them to take the leap first. He had always thought that it would have been Misty because of Ash's oblivion; however, perhaps it would truly be Ash in the end.

"Why haven't you told her any of this?"

"I thought," Ash said. He paused for a moment, attempting to gather his words so they would not escape in a jumbled mess. "I thought that it might have been because I was on the rebound from Serena, but I don't think that is it anymore."

"So why not tell her then?"

"I'm scared," he said. It was the first time he had admitted that to anyone. "What if she laughs at me? Serena dumping me was bad enough. I don't know if I could handle the rejection from Misty."

"You do realize that they are two completely different people?" Brock said, causing Ash to lift his head a little. "Misty wouldn't hurt you like that. She's not like that. You should tell her. Even if she doesn't want that sort of relationship from you, it'll feel better getting it off your chest rather than bottling it up. You never know, though. She might surprise you."

Ash contemplated what he said. Maybe he was right about Misty. In all the years that Ash had known her, she had never been callous towards him. Even in the early days when they fought constantly, she made an effort to help him. Who knows? She could even feel the same way. It was worth a shot.

"All right," he said. "I'll tell her."

"You better," Brock replied.

He would. Brock was determined to make this happen. Even if Ash forgot about this conversation like he did with his make-out session with Misty months ago, Brock would remind him of every word. Even if he had yet to find happiness in love, he would make sure that the best friends he had ever had would find theirs.


	19. The Unexpected

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

It had taken a couple of days for Ash to recover from his hangover this time. The next morning, he could barely move at all. It was in that moment that Ash swore off all alcohol. It was a promise to himself that he was sure to break. Pikachu did his best to help his buddy, but he did disappear at times to find Misty's Clefairy.

Ash had a few visitors during this time. First there was Brock to remind him of their conversation in the bar. Ash had been a little hazy on the details, but Brock promptly filled in the holes. Ash had face more frightening ordeals in the past, so he should have had no problem with this. He knew that he had to be brave. He needed to tell her.

He had blown his first opportunity, however. Misty, who had heard from Brock about Ash's condition, came to check on him later that day. She had brought him some food that she thought would help. It was some local take-out. Normally, Ash would have been thrilled, but the smell of it had him running to the bathroom. He had never vomited so much in his life. Where did it all come from?

So, Misty took care of him the best way she knew how. She gave him some water and aspirin and swiftly put him to bed. Once he was all tucked inside the sheets, she went to leave. As she headed out the door, he muttered "love you" in an inaudible whisper, causing her to pause.

"Did you say something?" she asked, coming back to the bed.

"No," he lied. "Thanks, Mist."

Thus, the day before the wedding came, and Ash had yet to tell her. That morning, he made a special point to do it. He was awake before the sun rose, knocking on the door to her suite. A half-asleep Misty answered, dressed in a tank top and shorts. She was taken aback by his suggestion to watch the sunrise together. She threw her hair up in a messy bun as he waited for her on the terrace. The two of them chatted as the sun rose above the horizon. The orange light cascaded onto Misty, giving her a warm glow. They talked, mostly about the wedding. Misty was happy for it to be almost over, but grew quiet when Ash asked what she was going to do after tomorrow.

They stayed there for a couple of hours, when they knew that the restaurant downstairs would be open. They had a breakfast buffet. It was on the expensive side, but it was worth it. Besides, they could charge it to their accounts, which were being taken care of by Daisy. Misty let Clefairy out of its Pokeball, and Ash swung by his room to get Pikachu. The two of them and their Pokémon headed downstairs.

The restaurant was beyond the lobby, adjacent to the pool area. When Ash and Misty started going through the lobby, they paused, noticing the massive crowd of new guests checking into the hotel. They noticed a few acquaintances from Kanto that were sure to be here for the wedding, but everyone else was a stranger. The restaurant, as far as they could tell from where they stood, was also busy, with a line to get inside. Ash had been planning to tell her over breakfast, where it would be quiet and maybe a little romantic. He was trying to set a mood, and all these people were ruining it.

"There sure are a lot of people," Misty commented.

"Yeah," Ash agreed.

"It must be that they heard that the great Misty Waterflower was staying here," she gushed.

Ash snorted. "Don't count on it."

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Anyway," she said, glowering at him. "What's gotten into you this morning? You're usually not awake this early."

"Well," he said. This time was as good as any. It would be this crowded in the restaurant, anyway. "There was something that I needed to tell you."

"Yeah?" She titled her head a little to the side. He swallowed the lump in his throat. He inhaled sharply.

"Mist, I l—"

"Ash?"

He stopped cold at the sound of her voice. There was no mistaking it. Her voice, which used to be rich and velvety to him, pierced through him like the knife that she used to cut out his heart. Why was she here? He silently cursed at the universe because it obviously had a huge contempt for him. He pivoted around, and there she was, causing Ash to wish she were a hallucination.

Serena was the same as the day they broke up. Simultaneously, she was different. Her hair was cut much shorter. She was wearing what he assumed to be the latest fashion trend—a strapless red dress and a black leather jacket with matching boots. There was an arm, belonging to another man, draped around her shoulder. He smirked at them, his blond bangs partially concealing his face. It didn't matter though for Ash. He knew it was Mark, the man for whom Serena had left him.

"Serena," Ash said coolly.

"How are you?" she asked. Ash wanted to make a snide remark, but instead responded with a simple "fine." Misty stood awkwardly, unsure if she should introduce herself, sensing the tension between the two.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in an attempt at civil conversation.

"Oh well. There's a New Year's Eve party tomorrow night. I'm performing at it. All of those people—" She paused to gesture at all the guests checking in. "—are here for it."

"Oh." This conversation was getting more painful by the second.

"You should come," she said. "We could catch up. It'll be fun."

Ash cleared his throat. "I can't. I'm busy tomorrow night."

"I'm sure you could make time to come. You could bring your girlfriend here," she said, pointing at Misty.

Misty waved her hands. "Oh I'm not—"

"She's not my girlfriend," Ash said. No, she wasn't, but he wanted her to be, and Serena was ruining it.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, though Ash did not trust that she was being sincere. "I just thought—"

"Well you thought wrong," he snapped back. He grabbed Misty by the hand and yanked her away from Serena and Mark. He couldn't stay making idle chitchat anymore. The longer he stood there, the greater the desire to punch Mark in the face grew.

Once they had put a considerable distance between the others, Misty stopped, causing Ash to as well. The two locked eyes. He saw the confusion and concern in hers. He had to tell her some explanation. This had been plaguing him for months. He shouldn't have given up after the first and sole attempt had failed. There was nothing to be done about this now.

"Sorry about that," Ash said.

"Who was that?"

"A girl I know. I don't want to talk about her," he said, pausing for a moment. He handed Pikachu to Misty. "I'll see you later tonight. Look after Pikachu would you."

"What about breakfast?"

"I'm not hungry anymore," he replied.

Misty watched him storm away, feeling puzzled. He seemed nervous at times that morning, but cheerful nonetheless. However, his mood had shifted so rapidly that it did not make sense. It had all been because of that girl, Misty concluded. Who was she? Perhaps, she was a rival of his or something. Whoever she was, he did not seem happy to see her. Clearly, it had upset him, and that bothered her right down to her core.

"What's up with him, Pikachu?"

"Pikapi ka pi pikachu pika pikachupi."

"You know, I wish I could understand you."

"Cha!"

 

Misty stood in front of the doors to the ballroom, fidgeting. Ash was nowhere to be seen. He had already missed the run-through of the ceremony. Tracey had mentioned that Ash said that he wasn't feeling well, and since all he did was stand there, Tracey had excused him from it. It was now time for the rehearsal dinner, but he remained missing. Everyone was inside, but here she was waiting for him in her aqua tea-length dress, Pikachu in her arms. She was about to turn to go through the double doors when she saw him coming off the elevator down the hall.

He was wearing dress pants and a dress shirt, his tie a bit disheveled. Misty brightened up at the sight of him. He attempted to reciprocate her smile, but it came out slightly forced. Once they were inches from each other, he muttered a short greeting. Usually, she would have chastised him for making her wait, but seeing that his mood had not changed since she had last seen him, she said nothing as she placed Pikachu on the carpet.

Her hands swiftly moved up to his tie, fixing it before they went to join everyone else. He caught a whiff of her perfume. The aroma of vanilla and lavender drew him in a little closer to her. Sensing his presence, she tipped her head up to discover his face right in front of hers. Her breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding. The two remained in intense suspension, until Ash cleared his throat, breaking away from her. Slamming back into reality, Misty scooped up Pikachu once more and followed Ash into the ballroom.

The dinner for the wedding reception was meant to be elaborate, but for the rehearsal, it was much simpler. The choices for main courses were either chicken or vegetarian, and there were only the salad and dessert courses in accompaniment, instead of the standard six courses. Misty and Ash sat up at the long rectangular table, along with the bride, groom, and remainder of the wedding party. They ate in relative silence. The most that Misty could get out of Ash was small talk. She moped a little as she ate her chocolate mousse, disappointed in herself. She used to be able to make him laugh with ease. Why couldn't she do it now?

When it had come time for his speech, Ash cleared his throat. The room grew quiet, awaiting his words. Misty stared at him, making him more nervous. He grunted, clearing his throat once more.

"I was going to make this grand speech," he began, peering around the room. "However, I feel like saying it now would ruin it for tomorrow. So I'll just say this. Tracey and Daisy, you better not chicken out and rob all of these people of the greatest speech that they will ever hear."

"Sure thing," Daisy laughed.

"I wouldn't think of backing out at this point," Tracey agreed.

Everyone else chuckled at the joke Ash had made, putting him a little more at ease. They finished their desserts and moved on to the final event of the evening. Daisy and Tracey had decided to do things a little out of order, putting the dinner immediately after the meet and greets. They wanted to end the evening with the opening of the gifts. Misty took her duty of recording what they got and who gave it to them. She noticed Ash hanging off to the side, watching from afar. In the few hectic moments in which she had taken her eyes off of him, he had disappeared, possibly gone back up to his room without a word to anyone. As Daisy handed her another opened gift, she stared at the open doorway wistfully, the pang in her heart growing exponentially. How was she meant to help him?

 

Later that night, Misty stood in front of his suite door, debating on whether or not she should knock on it. The rehearsal dinner had ended hours ago. She was certain that everyone else had gone to bed, but here she was, alone in the hallway, fighting with herself. Pikachu lay in her bed upstairs. She wanted to go join him, but there was a nagging feeling telling her to check on Ash. She just hoped that she wasn't waking him by doing this.

She gently rapped on the door, praying that he wouldn't be angry with her if she had woken him up. There was no answer at first, so she knocked a little louder. She sighed, giving up. She started walking away only to be startled by a large bang and the door flying open. She whipped back around to see Ash standing in the middle of the doorway, dripping wet and wearing nothing but a towel.

Misty's heart leapt up into her throat. She had seen him shirtless before, but not for several months. She stared at his toned body, admiring the definition. Had he been working out? She didn't recall his abs ever looking like _that_. Not to mention, that towel was hanging awfully low on his hips. One slip and he'd be baring everything to her. She blushed, diverting her gaze to the wall next to him.

"Misty, what are you doing here this late?"

"I—uh—came to check on you."

"Why?"

"Well," she said, her eyes moving back to his body. She did her best to concentrate on his face. "You seemed down earlier, so I wanted to make sure that you were all right."

"Oh, right," he said, moving back inside of his room. "Come on inside then and close the door behind you."

She trailed behind him, grabbing the doorknob as she walked through the threshold. The door closed with a click, and she moved further into the suite. The bathroom light was on, steam coming out from the open door. She strolled into the middle of the room as he plucked a few articles of clothing from his drawers. He passed her on his way back to the bathroom.

"I'm—um—going to throw some clothes on. Make yourself comfortable."

"K."

Misty peered around the room, deciding on where she should place herself. She shuttered at the thought of sitting on his bed. The image of him naked popped in her head. Blood rushing to her face, she retreated to the small love seat in the corner. This had been the first time she stepped into his suite. It was slightly different from hers. The kitchenette was separated from the rest of it, jutting out into the side of the terrace slightly. The sitting area, where Misty currently resided, was in the opposing corner, across from Ash's bed.

He emerged from the bathroom, using the towel to dry his hair. He had put on a pair of shorts and a simple tee shirt. Misty tried to calm her rapid heartbeat as he shuffled his feet against the carpet, moving over to her. He flopped down on the couch, placing one arm over the back of it, in her direction.

"Are you okay?" Misty blurted out. "Because you don't seem okay. This morning you were fine until we ran into that girl…Serena was her name right?"

"Yeah, that's her name."

"Who is she?"

Ash sighed, knowing that Misty would not let this go. "We used to be friends."

"And?"

"And—" He hesitated. How much should he tell her? "I guess you could say we got in a fight. We didn't exactly leave things on good terms."

"Oh," she said. "Is that all?"

"What do you mean 'is that all?'" he snapped at her.

"We used to fight all the time," she commented. "And we're still friends."

"That's different," Ash muttered.

Misty was confused. "How is that different?"

"Let's say it was more of her idea to cut me off like that. She didn't treat me too kindly last time I saw her."

Misty did not reply this time. Instead, she made a silent 'oh' with her mouth. She was unsure of how to reply to that. The Ash she knew would not be used to rejection like that. He made friends easily. She empathized with him though, for she had faced it many times when she was younger. It was why she had been so snarky and brash when they had first met. After being rejected by many friends, she had built these walls around her in order to protect her heart. Ash broke her down eventually with his charm and determination, even though he had not been aware of what he had been doing. She had to help him like he helped her all those years ago.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Why are you sorry?" he asked, astonished. "You didn't do anything."

She looked at him while giving a slight smile. "I'm sorry that someone hurt you. It sucks when someone you thought had your back disappoints you. I'm sorry that you've had to go through that. I don't like seeing you unhappy, you know? You don't have to worry about losing me though. I wouldn't stop being your best friend for anything."

As Ash stared at her in amazement, realization slammed into him, nearly leaving him breathless. Why had he wasted all that time dating Serena? Why had he wasted years without Misty at all? It had always been her; he had been too stupid to recognize it. All of those years of traveling around with her. The moments they shared. The time he nearly died in the Pokémon Tower. The night that they shared their first dance. When he had lost in his first Pokémon League tournament. Traveling with her in the Orange Islands. His jealousy toward Danny when she gave him attention. Rudy. When she mentioned them getting married someday. How he felt when they had to separate for the first time. His joy those times when he came home and she was there. It had finally hit him like one of her mallets—he had loved her from the moment she had pulled him from the water.

As the gentle breeze blew in from the open door to the terrace, Ash could not take it anymore. With one swift moment, he rushed forward, crashing his lips against hers. Misty's eyes grew wide. She had not been expecting _this_ to happen. After the initial shock had worn off, she broke away from him.

"Ash, what are you doing?"

"Something that I should have done a long time ago."

"Are you drunk again?" She had to ask. It was like the last time he had kissed her. Yet, this time, she didn't taste alcohol. Regardless, she needed to be sure.

"What do you mean again?"

"Uh never mind."

Now it was her turn to kiss him, partly out of want, partly to distract him from the first time they had shared a kiss. He responded by kissing her back aggressively. As they continued to explore each other's mouth, a groan erupted from Ash's chest. Misty responded by running her hands through his slightly wet and messy hair. He wrapped his arms around her body, pushing her further into the love seat.

Once the two started, they could not stop. After an eternity of kissing, Ash scooped up Misty's tiny frame, their lips still locked together, and carried her to his bed. He planted gentle kisses on her neck, eliciting a soft moan from her mouth. She shivered as his fingers brushed against her skin when he lifted her dress off of her. There was a removal of even more clothes, until there was nothing to separate the two bodies from each other.

Little did the two know that as soon as one of them made that crucial step, fully committing to moving forward, never looking back, the damn would break. They could never go back after this point, not that either of them wanted to in that moment. That warm, perfect night, the two bore their bodies and souls to each other. The bright, shining stars danced and smiled at them as the two bodies became one.


	20. Wedding Blues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

The light from the breaking dawn gradually flooded inside of the room, casting shadows to the inner walls. Ash's eyes fluttered open, the rays almost scorching his retinas. He groaned slightly and shifted in the bed, the silky sheets caressing his naked body. He paused momentarily when he noticed Misty lying next to him.

His eyes lingered on her figure, mentally pulling off the sheet that concealed most of her porcelain skin. She was lying on her stomach, arm tucked under her pillow, her flaming hair strewn about in a messy pool of orange. He couldn't take his eyes off of her for a moment—from the nape of her neck to her rosy cheeks to her half-covered breast. He propped his head on his hand, his elbow digging into the mattress slightly as he watched her sleep for a few moments. Lost in his thoughts, a tiny smile erupted on his face.

So, it had happened after all. It had not been a dream. He, Ash Ketchum, had sex with Misty Waterflower. It had been great sex, too. It hadn't been his first time, but it had been the first time he had experienced it on a metaphysical level like that. His heart, along with his body, felt like it was simultaneously soaring as it was on fire. Perhaps this was the euphoria of which everyone spoke.

She stirred. Ash immediately averted his gaze, fearing that he would scare her with his gawking. He wasn't a creep or pervert by any means. She had this strange effect on him, as if he could go all day looking at her without another care in the world. He pretended to be engrossed in the ceiling tiles when she opened her eyes.

"Ash?"

He redirected his gaze to her direction at the sound of her voice. She yawned, rubbing her eyes. As she sat up on the bed, she gripped the sheets, wrapping them around her in an attempt to cover up. Ash saw this and chuckled. She scowled, annoyed that she was missing out on the joke.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing," he said with a grin plastered across his face. "You don't need to cover up. I did see everything last night, remember?"

"Of course I do," she said, her face getting red. She remembered all of it. She'd had sex before with some of her ex-boyfriends, but it had never been like _this._ It was different with Ash. There had been so much history between them that the night before had meant everything to her. She was having a little trouble getting her head around it, though. It was surreal—to think, she actually had sex with Ash Ketchum.

"Are you…regretting it then?" Ash asked. His question hung heavy in the air for what felt like ages to him. His pulse quickened as he waited for her response. There was immense relief when she smiled back at him.

"Not at all."

"Good," he said, sitting up as well, letting the sheet slide down to his hips. He leaned in close to her. "Now I can do this."

He placed his lips upon hers much in the same way as he did hours before. She was caught off guard for a moment, startled by this newfound assertiveness. After the initial shock had worn off, she answered him with the same intensity. She had a familiar sensation in the pit of her stomach—one of ecstasy. She gave a soft moan as he began to place hot kisses on the nape of her neck. To her disappointment, he stopped his movements, leaving her gasping for air. He sat back, thinking better of where this was leading. She whipped her head to face him, confusion plaguing her eyes.

"Why'd you stop?" she demanded.

"Because," he said, getting up. Misty tried to hide her glee at the sight of his bare bottom, but she did a terrible job of this. He sighed in aspiration before continuing. "There is a wedding today. We don't have time to do this again right now. Daisy would have our heads…we have a lot of obligation, remember?"

"I'm sure she would forgive us if she knew what we were doing," Misty purred.

"Maybe we can continue this later tonight," he said. He snatched discarded clothes from the carpet and threw them on before proceeding to the bureau. He pulled out a fresh tee shirt and shorts. He tossed them to where Misty remained sitting on the bed. "You can wear these for now. I'll cook us some breakfast. Does French toast sound okay?"

"Since when do you cook?" She pulled the tee shirt over her head.

Ash walked over to the kitchenette as she finished getting dressed. Once clothed, she followed his lead, the carpet tickling her bare feet. He opened the fridge, revealing a hearty stock of food, mainly basic staples, such as milk, eggs, and cheese. He grabbed milk, eggs, and butter from the fridge and bread, cinnamon, vanilla, a bowl, a frying pan, and a whisk from the cabinet. The items carefully balanced in his arms, he placed them down on the counter next to the stove. Misty sat on one of the stools in front of the island, watching him as he began to whisk the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Once finished, he heated the pan and plopped some butter in the middle of it. It started to sizzle as he dropped a few slices of bread into the egg mixture.

Ash sprinkled cinnamon on the slices as they sizzled away. Misty sat there, silent, wondering what this meant. Were they together then? They never discussed this, too busy exploring each other's body to care. Ash handed her a plate of French toast before filling his own. He brought over the butter and maple syrup before they began to eat.

They chatted idly as they ate their breakfast. Misty had to admit that it was pretty good. She didn't expect that Ash had it in him to make something decent. She was hardly one to talk, being the one that nearly poisoned him years ago. She was finishing up her meal when she decided to ask him about their relationship.

"So what does this all mean?"

"What does what mean?" Ash asked before chugging the rest of his milk.

"Last night. What does that mean for us?"

Before Ash could answer her, there was a knock on his door. He went to answer it, leaving Misty hanging. She sighed as she gathered the dishes and brought them from the sink. She started washing them when Brock walked into view. Startled by his presence, she rushed to finish the dishes. Ash strolled in as well, jumping in to help her. He took the clean dishes and started drying them.

"What are you doing here, Misty?" Brock asked as he took a seat on one of the stools.

"Ash and I were having breakfast together," she said quickly as she made a beeline to the door. "But now that that's done, I'll see you guys later."

"Misty?"

"Hmm?" She paused with clear intentions to bolt at a moment's notice.

"We'll talk about this later," Ash said.

She nodded in response and continued to make her way out of his suite. He watched her go, the feeling of longing deep in the pit of his stomach. Although he had a large breakfast, he felt empty. He faced Brock once he heard the door shut. His best friend gave him a sly look as if he knew something.

"What?" Ash asked.

"What happened?" Brock demanded.

"Nothing."

"Bull shit. I know something's going on. She was wearing your _clothes_ ," he said. His eyes grew wide, realizing what that meant. He pointed at Ash in an accusing manner. "You had sex!"

"No we did—"

"Yes you did! You totally did the dirty deed!"

"All right fine," Ash grumbled, his cheeks burning. "We had sex last night."

"So how was it?" Brock leaned his elbow on the counter, holding his head up. There was a sly smile on his face.

"I'm not giving you any details, you pervert." Ash placed the dishes away. As he was putting the food back in the refrigerator, he said, "It was good, though. I will tell you that."

"So you told her how you felt then?"

"Uhh…" Ash said, hesitating. In the hours spent together, the words never made it out of his mouth. "Not exactly."

"Then how did you end up having sex?" Brock wanted to know this because he wanted some pointers. Ash knew this as well. All it succeeded in doing was increase Ash's annoyance.

"It just sorta…happened."

"She doesn't know that you love her?"

Ash sighed. "No, not yet."

"You could tell her tonight at the wedding reception," Brock suggested.

"I'll tell her after when we can have a chance to be alone," he said.

"You better."

 

Around midday, the women of the wedding party, including the bride herself, piled into Misty's suite in order to get ready for the wedding. There were pictures to be taken in a couple of hours, prior to the ceremony. Misty had ordered room service for lunch, which consisted of sandwiches, chips, and soda. Daisy refused to eat any of it, citing her nerves as the reasoning. After lunch, the girls got dressed in their purple bridesmaid dresses before helping Daisy get ready in her wedding dress. Misty was more cheerful than usual, the thought of being with Ash in the back of her mind. This did not go unnoticed by May, who watched her dutifully.

When the other girls were too busy to notice anything, May grabbed Misty by the arm. She shoved her into the bathroom, startling the water Pokémon trainer. May shut the door behind them, with the knowledge that she had a few minutes before the others noticed their disappearance.

"There's something different about you," May said.

"Huh? Is that why you dragged me in here?"

May sat down on the toilet seat. "This was the only private place I could think of at the time…so, what's up?"

"Nothing." Misty went to the door, her hand resting on the handle.

"Liar," May said. "Something's happened. I can tell. You better tell me what it is."

"Or what?"

May's face was serious. "Or I'll tell Ash how you feel about him."

A small smile erupted on her face. "It might be a little too late for that."

May was stunned. "What? You mean you told him already?"

"Not exactly…"

May stood up. She moved between Misty and the door. "What does that mean?"

"All right fine," Misty breathed. "I'll tell you, but you can't tell anyone."

May nodded in agreement. Misty hesitated, aware that this would be dropping a bomb. She hadn't even had time to process it fully herself, yet. However, she was tired of May's hounding.

"Ash and I had sex last night."

"You _what_?"

"You heard me."

May sat back down on the toilet seat, clearly in a daze. "I—what—how?"

Misty shrugged. "It just sort of happened."

May's brow furrowed. She needed answers. "No, I need more details than that. Drew and I have been dating for _six months_ , and we haven't even gone that far, yet. Start talking."

Misty began to stare at the floor. "I don't know what to tell you. One minute we were talking about this friend Ash used to have, and before I knew it, he had started kissing me. I guess after that point, we couldn't control ourselves. I know I couldn't hold my desire in any longer."

May stood and moved toward the door. "We'd better join the others before they figure out that we'll be going to your wedding next."

"May!"

"Relax, Misty. I'm only kidding…well…sort of."

 

Ash waited at the altar (if you could call it that. It was really an empty space on the beach in front of rows of beach chairs) next to Tracey. He was wearing a charcoal suit complete with purple tie, but he would have given anything to be wearing swim trunks instead. With the humidity and heat, it was too stifling. Standing next to Ash were Brock and Gary, the latter still not entirely accepting of this situation.

Ash wondered when he would get a chance to talk alone with Misty. There were well over a hundred people at this wedding. Even at the reception, he would have difficulty finding a true moment alone with her, away from those whom he knew would be eavesdropping.

The music started playing as the rest of the wedding party began filing down the aisle. May and Green strolled to the men casually in purple ball gowns. Ash thought that the dresses were a bit over the top for a beach wedding.

As the wedding march began to play, all the guests stood for the bride. Daisy Oak appeared at the end of the rows of chairs in her white wedding gown, which seemed a bit more sensible with its empire waist and tea length. The combination of this dress and the bridesmaid dresses was perplexing. Girls were weird, Ash concluded.

When Professor Oak and Daisy reached the rest of them, the officiant asked, "Who gives this woman away?"

To which Professor Oak replied, "I do."

He gave his granddaughter a kiss on the cheek before taking his seat in the front row. She took her place in front of Tracey, who beamed at her. They took each other's hands as the officiant began the ceremony.

"Friends and family," he declared. "We come here today to witness the joining of Tracey Sketchit and Daisy Oak. Marriage is a beautiful event in life, which is to be celebrated. Let us begin with a reading by Khalil Gibran.

"Love should have no other desire but to fulfill itself. But if your love and needs must have desires, let these be your desires: To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To know the pain of too much tenderness. To be wounded by your own understanding of love; And to bleed willingly and joyfully. To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving; To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy; To return home at eventide with gratitude; Then to sleep with a vision of the beloved in your heart and a song of love on your lips."

As Ash listened to the ceremony, he kept sneaking glances at Misty, who had been the last to reach the altar, as she had been busy trailing Daisy and helping her. In that moment, she was holding Daisy's bouquet. Her beauty constantly captured his attention. Even though he questioned the choice of the bridesmaid dresses, he had to admit that Misty was gorgeous in hers. Maybe it was the setting sun…or, perhaps, it was the fact that he now knew what she looked like _under_ the dress.

"Do you, Tracey, take Daisy to be your lawfully wedded wife, promising to love and cherish, through joy and sorrow, sickness and health, and whatever challenges you may face, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"Do you, Daisy, take Tracey to be your lawfully wedded husband, promising to love and cherish, through joy and sorrow, sickness and health, and whatever challenges you may face, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"Could I have the rings, please?"

Ash stepped forward and pulled the two gold bands, one thicker than the other, out of his suit pocket. He handed them to the officiant, who received them graciously. He handed the smaller band to Tracey, who placed it in front of Daisy's hand.

"Now Tracey, repeat after me," said the officiant. "With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring, I thee wed," Tracey said as he slid the ring on Daisy's finger.

"Daisy, your turn."

"With this ring, I thee wed," Daisy said as she did the same.

"And now, by the power vested in me, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss."

Daisy and Tracey took this to mean a full make-out session. The kiss lasted a bit too long, to the point where it was becoming awkward to witness. Gary started coughing loudly until they got the message.

"Family and Friends, I present to you Tracey and Daisy Sketchit."

 

Ash chewed on his steak, listening to the idle chatter of Misty and May next to him. He was sitting at the long table with the bride, groom, and wedding party. Tracey was to his right and Misty to his left. Daisy and Tracey sat in the center. On Daisy's right were her brother, Green, her grandfather, and Ash's mother. To Tracey's left were Ash, Misty, May, and Brock. Ash had tried to be involved in the conversation, but he felt a bit unnerved by the strange looks he had been getting from May.

He stood, sensing that it was time to do his speech anyway. He cleared his throat, and tapped his champagne glass lightly. The guests grew quiet. Ash was relieved that the night was settling in—it made it harder for people to see him clearly, and he was nervous.

"There is a tradition of the Best Man at a wedding giving a speech," Ash began, not sure of where this was headed. He had written it out, with Misty's help, a couple of days ago, but after what had happened, he knew that he needed to speak from the heart. "And since I am the Best Man, here goes."

"Tracey and Daisy, I've known you both for a very long time, and I couldn't be happier for the both of you. Anyone who sees you can tell that what you have there is special, something that should not be taken for granted. It's clear to see that understand each other on a level that none of us could reach. To find someone like that is lucky yes, but you were smart enough to recognize it and not let it pass you. I can only hope that I learn to not let it pass me as well, for I may be lucky, but now I know I must be smart as well. To you two, I give my congratulations. To Daisy and Tracey!"

"To Tracey and Daisy!" everyone else cheered.

There was a generous applause from everyone. Daisy and Tracey muttered their thanks as Ash sat back down. Misty gawked at Ash, unable to believe the words that he had used. Those were not the words of which they had rehearsed. What had he been going on about? As she sat there, puzzled, Ash searched for her free hand, which was dangling to her side. When he found it and took it into his own, Misty's heart gave a lurch. She blushed, glancing back at him in surprise. He grinned at her, goofily and crooked. She relaxed a bit, turning back to her conversation with May.

The night continued on, rather uneventful. It was your typical wedding. They ate cake after they watched Daisy and Tracey attempt to murder each other with it. Daisy threw the bouquet to the women. May fought hard to catch it, only to "drop" it into Misty's hands. Misty's face turned almost as bright as her hair. Misty and Ash locked eyes in the moment. They darted in opposite directions as soon as the connection had been made, however.

It came time for everyone to start dancing. The newlyweds had their first dance, which were then joined by Ash and Misty, and then by the rest of the wedding party. Lastly everyone else jumped onto the dance floor, otherwise known as the beach. When Ash had dragged her on the dance floor, Misty hadn't had the highest expectations that he'd be able to do the traditional dances well. To her amazement, he was competent at the waltz.

"When did you learn to dance like that?"

He shrugged. "My mom gave me lessons when I got back from the Sevii Islands."

"Oh, so that's what you've been doing with your time then Mister Pokémon Master?"

Ash cringed. "Please don't call me that. It's a bit of a sore spot."

"Why did you stop training? You never told me," Misty said.

"It's a long story," Ash said with a small sigh. "I don't feel like getting into it right now."

"Sure," Misty said.

The music changed, as did the style of dance. The music was also slow, but not a waltz. Ash unclasped his hand from hers and moved it to join the other around her waist. Misty moved both of her arms around his neck, resting on his shoulders. An uncomfortable silence fell between them. Both parties had something that desperately needed to be said. However, they were too nervous to get the words out in the night air. Misty, who had never been brave when it came to revealing her feelings for Ash, was the first to speak.

"So are we going to talk about us?"

"Not right now," he replied, briskly.

"Why not?" She demanded.

"Because," he said, brushing a strand of red hair behind her ear. "I want to have this conversation in private. I promise we'll talk up in my room after we leave tonight."

"All right," she conceded. "I can wait…I guess."

"That's my girl," he said, pulling her close to him in order to press his lips against her forehead.

As the song ended, the music turned into a more upbeat tempo. Misty said, "I'll be right back. I'm going to get a drink."

"Don't be gone long," he said.

"I won't."

She strolled over to the bar, plopping down on one of the stools. She ordered her drink. As she waited, she listened to a conversation, held by a few women who had to be her age.

"So I heard that Serena is performing at a New Year's Eve party tonight."

"The Serena? From Kalos?"

This especially caught Misty's interest. The name sounded familiar. Wasn't Serena that girl with whom Ash had used to be friends. Misty shook it off, knowing that it did not matter. The girl probably got famous and let it get to her head, wrecking their friendship in the process.

"The very same one."

"Wow," the other girl said, her eyes growing in side. "I'd love to meet her."

"Yeah that would be pretty awesome," said the other one as the bartender came with Misty's drink. She grabbed it and went to leave, but the next line caused her to stop, the blood draining from her face.

"Didn't she date Ash Ketchum recently?"

"Yeah. She dumped him for some Pokémon coordinator. I heard he stopped training for competitions and moved back home because of it. Can you believe that?"

The drink slipped out of Misty's hand due to the shock. The glass shattered against the patio, waking her out of the daze. She panicked, conscious of the eyes staring at her. She bent over, picking up the pieces, until a hotel employee came and rescued her, telling her to let him handle it.

She walked back to where Ash was in a daze. He had been _dating_ Serena? That's why he had been depressed for all that long. He had been rejected and dumped. It all made sense to her now, but why hadn't he told her? She would have understood. They were best friends, and if he was hurting, she wanted to know why. She had pressed him and pushed him, but he remained silent.

The more she thought about it, the angrier and more upset she grew. He should have told her. She felt betrayed by his omission. The subject had come up the previous night, and he had lied to her yet again. It made her question everything. He had seen her that morning. Had he been feeling badly because of it? Did he sleep with her to get over Serena? Misty knew that it was all too good to be true. That's why he continued to avoid the conversation about their relationship. He could never possibly feel anything deep for her.

"Hey, where's your drink?" Ash asked when she approached him.

"Never mind that," she growled at him. "Why didn't you tell me the truth about Serena?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't act stupid with me," she said, her voice growing louder. "I know that she wasn't just your friend—she was your _girlfriend._ She dumped you and that's why you came home, but you couldn't be bothered to tell me about that, could you?"

"How did you find—"

"It doesn't matter how I found out," she said, taking a step forward. Ash backed up, in fear. "What am I to you, Ash? The girl you screwed to get over being screwed? Well _fuck that._ I'm gone."

She started to walk away, but Ash stopped her, grabbing her arm. "Mist, that's not it at all. I tried to—"

"Don't you 'Mist' me!" She shouted back at him, yanking her arm away. "All I have ever done is give everything to you! And this is what I get in return—nothing but lies. I don't know why I ever let myself fall in love with you. I should have known that I'd get my heart broken in the end."

"Misty, wait!" Ash shouted after her as she went to escape once more. She did not falter in her movements, her legs carrying her into the hotel. Ash tried to chase after her, but got caught in the crowd of wedding guests. Once his knocks on her door later that night went unanswered, he knew that he had just lost the love of his life due to his sheer stupidity.


	21. Desperation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

The top of the postcard read "Greetings from the Orange Islands." Daisy and Tracey were on the front of it, posing at the beach in their bathing suits. The two had found a souvenir shop that was able to take photos and make postcards out of them. This one had come into the mail that morning, which Delia carried up to her son, along with his breakfast, a new routine that had become daily in the past few weeks. Ash would not eat otherwise, being shut up in his room since they had returned from the wedding. He took a bite of toast as he read the elegant handwriting—certainly the work of Daisy.

 _Ash, I can see now why Tracey was always going on about your adventures here. The islands here are simply gorgeous, and the sun is out all the time. I'm getting a nice tan, actually. Did you and Misty make up by the way? It's been three weeks, so I hope so! I mean I know Misty has a bad temper, but she wouldn't be mad for this long, right? I wish either of you would tell me why you got into a big fight at_ my _wedding, but it's fine I guess. You should come visit with us when we get home. I miss seeing your face everyday. I've gotten used to having you around again, like when we were kids._

_Daisy_

Ash sighed, tossing the postcard across the room. He finished off his toast before drinking his orange juice, remembering New Year's Day. He had tried to knock on her door the next morning before discovering that it was unlocked. He opened the door to find an empty room—all of her stuff was gone. Talking with the front desk was all he needed for confirmation—she had checked out first thing that morning.

His calls and text messages went unanswered. He had tried for weeks now to apologize to her—give her some sort of explanation. However, she was perpetually ignoring him. His emotions went back and forth from morose to miffed. He had finally broken her, he'd decided. He took someone who was so stalwart and hurt her so much that she wouldn't be her anymore (not to mention, would never speak to him again).

There was a knock on the door, to which Ash did not respond. The door creaked open anyway to reveal Delia and Pikachu. She strolled in wordlessly, making a beeline for the tray on Ash's nightstand. She hesitated for a moment, wishing to break the monotony of this new arrangement. Ash had a hard time communicating with anyone, including his own mother. Pikachu's ears dropped at the sight of his trainer.

"You need to talk to her," she said as she sat on the bed next to her son. She waited a moment for him to respond. When nothing came, she continued, "I have watched you grow up together, and clearly there is something there. You can't let her get away like this."

"I'm not letting her get away," he said, the first words spoken to her in over a week. "I've been trying to call and text her, but she won't speak to me."

"I'm sure she'll come around."

"You don't know what happened, and I'm not telling you because it's not something you tell your mom."

"Well," she said before leaving the room. "No matter what happens, it'll work out in the end. I promise."

He sighed as he gave Pikachu a rub behind the ears. The Pokémon emitted a noise in delight. He'd always have Pikachu. His chubby buddy would be there until the end. However, Ash knew that it would never fill the hole that Misty had left – Pikachu could never be enough.

 

"Ash, you have a visitor," his mom called several days later.

He didn't respond, not wanting to see anyone, except for Misty. He doubted it was, though. He had been sitting at his desk, working on a letter to her. As he crumpled the fourth attempt and threw it in the barrel, there was a knock on his door. The person did not wait for an answer before opening the door. It was Daisy, returned from her honeymoon.

"I thought it would be best to come see you," she said as she entered the room.

"When did you guys get back?"

"Two days ago."

"Oh. I thought you'd be there longer."

"Ash, it's been three weeks."

"Has it really been that long?"

Three weeks. It had been even longer since he and Misty had spoken. It might as well have been three years. Ash was miserable. He had lost his best friend and the love of his life all in the same moment.

Daisy sat on the bed, absorbing her surroundings. Her skin was tan from the sun. She fiddled with her rings as she searched for the appropriate words to say. Pikachu leapt up from the floor and into her arms.

"I want to hear your side of it," she said with a look that told him that she knew.

"You've talked to Misty?"

"Yeah…I know that you might not have meant to, but you hurt her. She was so upset when I talked to her on the phone."

"I—" Ash swallowed the lump now present in his throat. It killed him that Misty was feeling that way. There was nothing he could do because it was his fault. "I tried to tell her about Serena. I did actually…months ago when I was staying with her, but she had fallen asleep."

"Why didn't you try again?"

"I thought it might have been a sign that I shouldn't tell her."

"But, why not tell her about Serena when you actually ran into her at the hotel?"

"I don't know," Ash said as he ran his hand through his hair. "It was stupid, I know. What do you want me to do? I've tried apologizing to her, but she won't listen to me."

"Then go down there and make her listen," Daisy demanded, leaping to her feet. Ash jumped at her statement. There had been two women in his life that he feared. The first was Misty. Daisy was the second.

"What would I say?"

"I don't know, Ash. How about 'I'm sorry.'"

"She'll punch me in the face."

"Good. You deserve it."

"You know," Ash started, his voice hitching in his throat. "I hate myself for hurting her like this."

Ash got on his feet and began to pace. Daisy said nothing, not wanting to disturb his meditative state. She planted her body on Ash's bed, smirking at Pikachu's face when she scratched underneath. When Ash stopped, she raised an eyebrow, anticipating his response.

"I'm in love with her," he said. Daisy could see the desperation in his eyes. He was being completely honest with her. In the years that they had known each other, she had never seen him this broken.

"Then _tell_ her that. What have you got to lose? You do know that she loves you, right?"

"Yes—" he said, recalling her last words—asking why she had ever fallen in love with him. "I know. It doesn't make it any easier."

"You need to go down there and tell her everything—what happened with Serena, why you didn't tell her in the first place, how much you love her—everything. If she wants nothing to do with you after that, then you'll be able to move on with your life. It'll hurt like hell, sure, but at least you'll go through life not wondering what could have been."

Ash sighed. "You're right, as much as I hate to admit it."

"So," Daisy said, a small grin forming on her face. "Are you going to go win her back?"

"I guess I have no choice."

 

"I don't know, man, I talked to her last night. Even the mention of your name pissed her off."

After his conversation with Daisy, Ash began his journey to Cerulean. It had taken him four days to reach Pewter City, a new record in his opinion. It caused him to reevaluate his decision to travel with people. He seemed to do better with fewer distractions. That night, Ash was sleeping over at Brock's before continuing to Mt. Moon. They had been having some light discussion when it took a sharp turn to the subject of Misty.

"This doesn't mean that I can't try."

"She'll punch you in the face."

"That's what I told Daisy."

"And what did she say?"

"That I deserved it."

Brock shook his head. They had been so close to finally getting it together. If only Ash had been honest with Misty earlier. He told Ash that it was going to come back to bite him later, but he couldn't help but be stubborn about it. That's who Ash was. Brock had to fight the urge to tell Ash that he told him so, but he knew not to kick his friend when he was down.

"My advice," Brock said, "is to beg for forgiveness…that and catch her another water Pokémon."

"You don't think telling her that I love her is enough?" Ash asked.

"Pikachu!" The Pokémon chimed in. The two of them looked at the electric mouse and then back at each other. Brock sighed.

"I don't know," Brock said. "I don't think Misty would have cared that you had an ex-girlfriend, if you had told her. I mean, if you had seen some of her old boyfriends, you'd be scratching her head. I think she was trying to distract herself from missing you."

"I realize that now," Ash replied. "It was not telling her that upset her more. If I had told her what had happened with Serena, even that night, things might have ended up differently."

Brock grabbed a frying pan and spatula in order to start making Ash some dinner. "I think she feels used."

"It's not like that at all," Ash said, sitting down on a stood, leaning on the island counter. "I had sex with her because I wanted _her_. It had nothing to do with Serena and feeling rejected or something. It was more like seeing Serena made me realize that I had made the wrong choice in the first place. It's always been Misty. I was too blind to see it."

"That—" Brock began, pointing the spatula at Ash. "—is what you should tell her."

They spent rest of the evening, avoiding the subject. Ash focused his attention to Brock and how his new relationship with that girl Millie was going. They had gone on a couple of dates. Even though they had met in the Orange Islands, she wasn't as far away as Brock thought she'd be. She had been there on vacation from her house in Goldenrod City. Ash felt a bit uncomfortable when Brock talked about their nightly phone calls. So when the phone rang, Ash made an excuse to go to bed.

Ash went to bed, anxious for the morning, for multiple reasons. He desired to see Misty so much that it ached. He was scared to talk to her—scared of her rejection, as well as her fist. In the next couple of days, Ash would be fighting the greatest fight of his life. He just hoped that he would be strong enough to do it.


	22. Misty's Challenge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

It was mid-morning the day that Ash arrived at the Cerulean gym. His feet crunched against the freshly fallen snow as he approached the front doors. He inhaled sharply, trying to settle his hammering heart. Pikachu, who was perched on his shoulder, gave him a pat on the head in encouragement. His hands slightly shaking, he pulled open the gym door and entered the lobby.

He expected to see either Misty sitting at front desk, or no one at all, which meant that she was either in the middle of a match, or tending to the Pokémon. Instead, he was greeted by a young woman who wasn't Misty. She looked to be in about her mid-to-late teens with a medium skin tone and dark brown hair. She looked up at him as she sat in her seat, and he could see that her eyes were bright green. She flashed a smile at him as he approached the desk, puzzled, for he had never seen this girl once in his life.

"Good morning," she said. "Can I help you?"

"Who are you?"

"Um I'm Bailey," she said, slightly startled by his question. "What can I do for you?"

"Where's Misty?"

"She's busy right now."

"Who are you again?"

"I'm her new apprentice," Bailey snapped. "Do you need to make an appointment for a match?"

"No," Ash said quickly, walking toward the doorway that led to the gym. "I just need to talk to Misty."

"Hold it!" Bailey shouted, causing Ash to stop dead in his tracks. This girl reminded him of a younger Misty—scary. "No one gets to see Miss Waterflower without being approved by me."

"Well, I'm her best friend."

"I need a name."

"Fine," Ash sighed. "Ash Ketchum."

"Out!" Bailey shouted. "You are not welcome here."

"What?"

"I've heard all about you, and I think it's best if you leave."

Bailey looked as if she could really kick his ass, so Ash fled the gym as fast as his feet could carry him. He stumbled out of the building, dashing about until he reached the corner of the street. Bending over, he gasped for breath in the sharp winter air. This was not going as well as he had planned for he had not accounted for the fact that Misty would find herself a new guard dog. Uncertain of his next move, he started walking toward the Pokémon center. He needed some time to figure out how to even talk to Misty. The snow was beginning to fall as he trekked through the streets of Cerulean.

Later on that afternoon, Misty emerged with Daisy to see how Bailey was doing. It was her first week as Misty's apprentice, and she wanted to check in with her as frequently as she could. After returning home, Misty threw herself into the gym completely, battling every trainer that walked through the doors immediately, training her Pokémon even harder, and recruiting someone to help her out in the gym. It was similar to past times when she would have a breakup with a boyfriend. However, this time Ash was not her boyfriend, and they didn't break up. Yet, at the same time, it was worse than all the other times combined. Misty was so hurt that she didn't know what to do with herself.

"How's everything going?" Misty asked.

"Fine, except…" Bailey said as she bit on her cuticle.

"Except what?"

"Ash Ketchum was here to see you."

Misty's heart leapt in her throat at the sound of his name. She was still hurt and mad at him, for sure. Conversely, there was a part of her that missed him. The world around her seemed duller without him. Both sides to her fought in silent combat for a brief moment. Her anger consumed her, repressing all other emotions.

"He was _here_?" She said, her cheeks flushing. "Please tell me you kicked him out."

Bailey stood, flailing her arms out. "Of course I did. I'm on your side, remember?"

"Good."

Daisy faced her sister, hands on her hips. She looked cross. "This is getting ridiculous, Misty."

"He lied to me!" Misty shouted back, her eyes watering. It had been about a week since she had last cried, but there was Daisy, bringing back all of the pain.

"He's a boy," her eldest sister replied gently. "They're not like the smartest, are they? At least he's trying. You should give him a chance."

"I'd rather be kicked out of the league," she snapped, storming away. She stomped her feet as she left, causing a worried look exchanged between the two other woman.

Misty escaped to her room, the one place of solitude in the gym. Although it was not any of their business, her sisters persisted in trying to meddle in her affairs. For weeks now, they begged her to give Ash a call. This was not the most irritating action they had taken. The past week, they had taken it upon themselves to read his letters to her aloud at every opportune moment. Her feelings were muddled even further by their actions. Every time they did something like that, she wasn't sure if her irritation was at them or Ash.

She sighed, flopping onto her bed. There was a picture of the two of them from Daisy and Tracey's engagement party on her nightstand. As furious as she might have been, she never removed it. She reached for it, bringing it close to her face. They were sitting together at the table. Ash was making that stupid pose he used to make as a kid with his arm wrapped around her shoulder. Her heart gave a painful twinge at the thought of him.

She wanted to forgive him deep down. There was a part of her that felt more hurt by the fact that he didn't tell her about having a girlfriend than actually having a girlfriend. She thought that she had been his best friend. She must have believed wrong because he would have told her then. She was disappointed with herself as well, frustrated that she had let her emotions get in the way. She wanted to regret sleeping with him, but it was too wonderful. Although she was mad at him, she found that she was frequently getting intimate thoughts about him, the image of his naked body permanently etched inside of her mind.

She gently placed the silver frame back down on the nightstand. Misty curled into a ball as her eyes began to water. Ash had come to see her. Did that mean that he was really sorry? No, he was probably trying to fix his bruised ego or something. There was no way he could ever care for her. No one ever truly did. These thoughts swirled in her brain as exhaustion set in, and she finally succumbed to the darkness.

 

It was pitch black when Misty woke with a start. The moonlight seeped through the window, casting small shadows across the room. Misty sat up suddenly in her bed, realizing that she had slept through the afternoon. A quick glance at her alarm clock told her that it was past midnight. This had happened frequently since her return from the Orange Islands, except every other time, she had slept through the night, usually waking up as the sun rose.

There was a tapping at the glass doors leading to the small terrace, indicating the cause of her interrupted sleep. Startled, she grabbed one of the pokeballs to her right nightstand and tossed it. Out came Vaporeon, who yawned loudly, not ready for a battle in the middle of the night. She flicked on the lamp to see a tall figure standing out on her terrace, knocking on the door. She jumped out of bed, ready to battle her stalker, only relaxing when she realized that it was Ash.

She sauntered up to the door, thankful that it was locked from the inside, her arms crossed across her chest. First he had the nerve of showing up at the gym, and now he decided to stalk her. She sure picked a winner when she fished this boy out of that river. She shook her head, her face contorted in displeasure.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Please just let me talk to you," he pleaded through the glass.

Misty did not move. "How did you even get up here?"

"Staraptor carried me up here," he said with a shrug. "It is a Pokémon who can fly after all."

There was an awkward silence that fell between them, pervading the night. There were no sounds, with the exception of breathing, created by both human and Pokémon. Ash began to shiver as the snow drifted down, creating a layer of white dust on his shoulders. Pikachu shook its body in an attempt to free himself of the snowflakes. Misty's expression softened a little at the sight of Ash. He was standing out in the cold for _her_.

"Can I come in?" Ash asked.

"Go away, Ash. I don't want to talk to you," she snapped, ready to draw the curtains.

Ash gazed at her with pleading eyes. "Please, Mist. It's pretty cold out here."

She sighed. Why did he always seem to have this effect on her? "Fine, but this is not for you. Pikachu is probably cold."

"Cha!" Pikachu chimed.

Misty unlocked the latch and slid the door open. Ash entered her room, careful to not track snow inside. Pikachu leapt from his shoulder and onto Misty's bed, pulling a blanket over him. Misty wondered how long they had been out there before she had woken. She diverted her gaze from Pikachu back to Ash as their eyes locked. Even appearing sad, he was gorgeous. She had forgotten about how attractive she found him. As she succumbed to a moment of breathlessness, all of her anger melted away and was replaced by a desire to kiss him all over. This feeling was fleeting, however.

"I'm sorry, Mist. I—"

"Save your breath," Misty snapped. "Once you and Pikachu have warmed up a bit, I want you to leave."

Ash had been anticipating this. She was still angry and hurt. He could see it in her eyes. All he wanted to do was embrace and console her. It broke his heart to know that he caused her so much pain. He knew that everything would be all right if she knew why he didn't tell her about Serena and about how he truly felt about her. The issue was getting her to listen to him. There was one thing he could do. It would be a long shot, and it was risky, but what choice did he have?

"Face me in a match."

"Excuse me?"

"Tomorrow. I challenge you to a Pokémon battle. If I win, you have to hear me out, and I really mean listen to me on my own terms. If I lose, then I'll leave and never bother you again."

This had caught her attention, like Ash knew that it would. He hadn't faced anyone in battle since before his relationship with Serena had ended. He was extremely rusty, putting him at a great disadvantage, especially against the skilled gym leader that Misty had become. He had to try though. The past few weeks had proven that it was not worth being without Misty.

This was what Misty had been wanting for him – to continue training again. Was this the motivation? Winning her over? Her heart swayed by his gestured. Her heart wanted to throw her arms around him and forgive him instantaneously. Her head knew better though. If he was willing fight for her forgiveness and trust, then he had to earn it. He would need to beat her in battle.

"Okay."

"Yeah? You mean it?" Ash asked.

"Yeah, whatever," she said. "I'm all booked up tomorrow morning, so come by sometime in the afternoon. You better be ready for a tough fight."

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said, scooping up Pikachu in his arms. Instead of going back onto the balcony, he moved toward the door leading to the hallway. Everyone should have been in bed, so sneaking out the front wouldn't be a problem. Misty said nothing as she watched him disappear out into the hall. In her heart, she was slowly forgiving him and falling back in love with him simultaneously. He deserved another chance, and if he battled her and rediscovered his love for Pokémon, she would be willing to give him it to him.


	23. The Battle for Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

"Thanks Professor for all your help."

"It's no problem, Ash," Professor Oak said over the videophone. "Good luck on your match."

"Thanks," Ash said as the screen turned black once again. He stared down at the pokeballs in his hands. They weren't necessarily the strongest Pokémon at his disposal, but even though winning was his main goal, he wanted to use Pokémon that he felt had a more emotional connection to him. These were some of the ones he had the longest—Pokémon he had obtained with Misty at his side. He was hoping that he could draw from that strength in the match.

"You ready, Pikachu?" Ash said as he stood, slinging his bag against his back.

"Pika!"

The young man and his Pokémon headed out of the Pokémon center and in the direction of Cerulean Gym. It had finally stopped snowing that morning, though that didn't do anything to rid the ground of the already fallen snow. Man and Pokémon trudged through the snow, determined to make it to the gym.

It took a little longer than it usually would, but the pair made it there. Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder as they reached the entrance. Ash walked through the doors to be greeted by Bailey again. She saw him and scowled. Ash made a grimace, imagining the things that Misty had said about him. She was sure to know about the match.

"Uh hi," Ash said sheepishly as he approached her.

"Just to let you know," she said, standing up. "I don't like you."

"But you don't even know me," he replied.

"I know enough to know that I don't like you. What you did to Misty…well you deserve to be castrated."

"Excuse me?" Ash said indignantly. "This isn't even any of your business, so keep your opinions to yourself."

"Any guy who uses a woman for sex and lies to her deserves to be castrated."

Ash's face was growing red. "I didn't use her for sex!"

"Well why else would you not tell her about your ex-girlfriend for months and then all of a sudden have sex with Misty the same day you ran into said ex-girlfriend?"

"I tried to tell her about Serena once, but she fell asleep, and after that it was too hard and painful to try to tell her again. I had sex with Misty because I'm in love with her! It just so happened that it took me running into the girl who broke my heart to realize that Misty was the one."

Bailey stood before him, mouth wide open, not saying anything, so Ash continued, "You don't know me. You only know what Misty has told you, and it's incomplete information from someone who is feeling hurt…and I know I'm the one who hurt her. I hate myself for it, but you shouldn't judge me because even Misty does not have all of the information. There are two sides of every story. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to go have my match."

"Uh, sure," she replied sheepishly as she stood up.

Ash followed her through the archway into the long hall leading to the gym. They moved in silence, Ash not speaking due to his aggravation and Bailey doing the same, except her reason was embarrassment. Water Pokémon swam around them in the aquarium as they passed. Ash did his best to calm the storm raging in his stomach. Usually, he could go into a match with a little bit of confidence. This time, however, he found himself on edge. He knew that he would be in for a tough fight. The lack of training was now catching up to him when he needed it most.

The two entered the gym, a place Ash had not been inside for months. Not much had changed. It was the same old pool with Psyduck waddling around. Misty was waiting for him, clad in her bikini. He couldn't know for sure, but he half wondered if she was wearing it to serve as a distraction to him. On purpose or not, it did the job. His mind wandered to her naked form, his cheeks flushing.

Misty noticed the redness to his face and giggled to herself. Truthfully, she had done some laps around the pool to loosen up before the match. This would be one of the most difficult matches she would have, not because of Ash's skill level, but for the fact that in spite of her pain, she still loved him.

"Are you ready, Ash?" she called from across the gym as he took his place in the challenger's box.

"You bet," he said, newly determined. He would win this. He had to.

Bailey took her place in the center of the gym. "Each trainer will use up to three Pokémon. There will be no time limit. Let the battle begin."

"Let's go, Starmie!" Misty shouted as she tossed her pokeball.

Misty was still the same, Ash had decided. He knew that she was likely to stick to her favorite Pokémon. He smiled, knowing his strategy immediately. Water was Misty's specialty. He would fight water with water.

"Totodile, I choose you!" he shouted as he released it from its pokeball.

Totodile came out, and began to dance on the floating platform. Misty watched it, recalling that there was a time where it was almost hers. For some reason, she had been expecting this much from Ash. This didn't deter her, however. She knew that this round would not last long.

"Totodile, water gun!"

"Use your water gun too, Starmie!"

The two each shot a stream of water out of their mouths. It was clear who would win this battle. Starmie's attack easily overpowered Totodile's. Ash's Pokémon was knocked off of its feet into the pool. Misty knew that she had this round locked down. She prepared for the final blow.

"Thunderbolt, Starmie!"

"No way!" Ash shouted.

He watched in horror as he saw the bolt of electricity exiting Starmie's body. In an instance, the electricity flew through the pool, zapping anything in its wake. Misty had been sure to remove the other Pokémon from the pool prior to the battle, knowing that this had been a possibility. Ash had not considered this, however. After the attack finished, Totodile surfaced, knocked out. Ash pulled out its pokeball to return it. Totodile disappeared into a ray of red light.

"Totodile can no longer battle. Starmie is the winner!" Bailey shouted.

Ash had to think quickly. He had not anticipated one of Misty's Pokémon to know electric attacks. Even though he had lived there for several weeks and watched her battle, he had forgotten that Starmie knew Thunderbolt. His confidence faltered. Maybe he didn't have a shot after all. He had to think quickly, for his life in this battle depended on it.

"Bulbasaur, go!" he shouted as he made his decision.

The grass Pokémon popped out of its ball, ready for battle. Ash had faith in one of his oldest Pokémon. They had been together almost as long as he and Pikachu. He knew that a grass type was the way to beat her Starmie. He wouldn't back down this time.

"Vine whip, Bulbasaur!"

Bulbasaur ensnared the star shape before it had a chance to dive in the water. Now it was Misty's turn to think on her feet.

"Rapid Spin, Starmie!"

Starmie began to spin, increasing in speed every second. It was able to free itself from Bulbasaur's vines in no time. Ash groaned, knowing that he would have to try harder. There was one weakness to Starmie. If its energy were drained, then it wouldn't be able to battle.

"Bulbasaur, use your Leech Seed!"

Bulbasaur launched its attack and made a direct hit. The red seed flew from its bulb and struck Starmie, exploding on contact into a thicket. Misty watched in horror as it completely drained Starmie of its energy. The jewel in the center of its body had begun to blink when she made the decision to call it back. This round had gone to Ash. Misty tossed the second pokeball, knowing that she could easily beat Bulbasaur with her next Pokémon. Bailey watched on in amazement at how quickly the battle was going back and forth.

When Gyarados came blazing out, Ash knew that he was in trouble. He had little time to react before Misty ordered it to use its Flamethrower. Ash tried to yell at Bulbasaur to dodge the attack, but it was too late. Bulbasaur took the attack directly, causing it to faint instantly.

"Bulbasaur is unable to battle. Victory goes to Gyarados!" Bailey shouted as Ash called his Pokémon back.

Ash had his back against a wall. He was down to his last Pokémon. He had stacked his team with a lot of grass Pokémon, knowing that they would have an advantage against her water types. However, he had forgotten to take Gyarados into account when doing this. None of his grass types were a match for its Flamethrower. The only hope he had was an electric type, but the only one he had was…

"Pika!"

"Pikachu?" Ash questioned. He had been too deep in thought to notice Pikachu jumping into the battle. "You mean you're going to fight!"

"Pikachu!" The electric mouse knew that there was a lot at stake in this battle.

"Thanks, buddy," Ash said, welling up.

Misty was a little shocked. Pikachu had abstained from battling all of those years ago, after only knowing her for about a month. What could have made him change his mind? As soon as Pikachu entered the battle, Gyarados had no chance. One Thunderbolt, and it was out of the match. They were tied with one Pokémon left.

This put Misty in an awkward position. Due to her natural competitive nature, she did want to win, but at the same time, she didn't want to hurt Pikachu. Not to mention, her water Pokémon were no match for Pikachu's electric attacks. She tossed out her last Pokémon—Clefairy.

This had not been something Ash had been anticipating at all. For one thing, he never expected Pikachu to battle against Misty in the first place. Ash's stomach dropped. Pikachu was in love with Clefairy. There was no way that it was going to battle effectively against it.

"Pi?"

Pikachu hesitated, his cheeks sparking. He wanted to battle for Ash, but he didn't want to hurt Clefairy. The electric mouse looked back at its trainer. They had a mutual understanding. Pikachu knew that Ash wasn't going to force him to battle, no matter how badly he wanted to be victorious.

"Pika pika!" he chimed.

Ash was in disbelief. Pikachu was prepared to battle, even if that meant hurting Clefairy. He experienced a rush of gratitude toward his Pokémon. That was true friendship, and something he would not soon forget.

"Pikachu, Electroball!"

"Clefairy, use Attract!"

"Oh no," Ash groaned as Clefairy waved her fingers. Pikachu halted mid-attack, gaining a dazed expression on his face. His face turning red told Ash that the attack had been effective. Ash panicked, not knowing what to do, seeing his defeat as inevitable. Misty took this as her chance to finish the match.

"Clefairy, Sing!"

The fairy Pokémon opened its mouth and began to lull Pikachu to sleep. He slumped down on the floating platform, incapacitated. Ash's calls to him lacked a response. Bailey raised her arm in the air.

"Pikachu is unable to battle. Clefairy wins. The match goes to the gym leader, Misty."

Ash dashed onto the floating platform and scooped up Pikachu in his arms, feeling completely broken. He had lost more than a match. He had lost the one person that made life worth living. She was the one, he had figured, and he lost her. With a heavy heart, he started walking away from her. Misty, on the other hand, sprinted across the edge of the pool to catch up with him, nearly slipping on the wet tile in the process.

"I guess this is good-bye," he muttered, unable to look her in the eye.

"Ash wait!" Misty shouted, grabbing his shoulder instinctively. All of the walls she had put up to keep him at bay were crashing down around her. All she wanted was for him to be all right. She didn't want this defeat to be the one to destroy his career as a trainer forever. She could not have this on her conscience.

Ash turned around to face her, Pikachu asleep in his arms. What Misty saw next unnerved her. Tears began to form in his eyes. He said nothing as they began to roll hot down his cheeks. Misty stopped what she was about to say, startled. The only times she had ever seen him cry was when he had to make the hard decision to let one of his Pokémon go. Realization struck Misty like Pikachu's Thunderbolt. He hadn't been fighting to fix a bruised ego. He had been fighting for _her_.

"What do you want from me, Misty?" he pleaded. "To rub it in my face that I lost? To yell at me some more?"

"Don't go," she whispered, all of her anger melting away. "I don't want you to leave."

"I thought you never wanted to see me again," he retorted, his voice cracking from the strain.

"I—" she started, not sure of what she wanted. One gaze at his face told her what it was. She wanted answers. "You're going to make this up to me."

"Huh?"

"I don't want you out of my life," she said. "I'm feeling unsure about things between us, but I want to give you a chance to make it up to me."

"Okay…" he said, hesitating. Where was she going with this?

"So," she said, and for some reason, she had started to smile. "You're going to take me out for dinner. Tonight. You're going to take me somewhere really nice, and you're going to tell me everything…and I mean everything, Ash. I want to know all about Serena and why you never told me. You owe me that at least…and maybe then we can see about…well…whatever this is."

"Are you being serious?" Ash was taken aback by her sudden shift in mood. Maybe…maybe there was hope after all.

"Ash, please don't make me change my mind."

"Okay, it's a deal," he said, the first signs of happiness in weeks forming on his face. "I'll be here to pick you up in a couple of hours."

"See you then," she said softly as he rushed out of the gym.

The flame that had been so easily extinguished by Misty's water Pokémon had been relit with a new passion. Ash would give her the best date she would ever have. He would tell her every little detail. He wanted to make this work. He had to tell her once and for all about how he felt—he needed to tell her that he was hopelessly in love with her.


	24. Confession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

Misty inspected her work in the mirror. It was later that night. Darkness had already enveloped the earth. The door leading to her terrace was closed, but the sounds of Hoothoots and Noctowls could still be heard through the thick glass. It had been a long time since she went on a real date. This time was different than all of the others—and there had been a lot of them. She was going on a date with Ash Ketchum.

Of course, she was still irritated with him. The effort to make amends was there, as far as she could tell, and it was helping her journey to forgive him. That was the thing about love. If the other person does something hurtful and deserving of contempt, eventually you fall back into love's embrace and find forgiveness. At the end of the match, she saw something in his eyes, but she had trouble figuring out what that was. As she stood in front of the mirror, a startling thought occurred to her. What if he wanted to make up to salvage their friendship? It wouldn't be the end of the world, for she had missed her best friend. Yet, there was an ache in her heart because what she really wanted was something more.

She double-checked her make-up, even after she had spent nearly two hours getting ready. There was a knock on the door, and thinking that it was one of her sisters, she told whomever it was to enter. To her surprise, and her slight dismay, it was Ash.

"How did you get in here?" she asked, her face being to flush from his presence.

"You told me to come in!" he retorted.

"I meant my house, Mr. Pokémon Master."

"Your sisters let me in," he said as he set Pikachu down. "I figured that it would be okay to leave Pikachu and my other Pokémon here."

"I'll kill my sisters," Misty muttered under her breath as she clenched her fist.

Ash chuckled at the reemergence of the old feisty Misty—that rough and tumble girl who pulled him out of the water. He was about to respond with something cheeky, but as soon as he paused for a moment to take a good look at her, his breath caught in his throat, unable to escape. He watched her as she struggled slightly to put on a pair of cobalt high heels, which matched her dress, his heart hammering. Why did she have to be so beautiful? It unnerved him to his bones.

She shuffled, getting her feet to properly fit in her shoes, until she reached Ash, halting in front of him. He was close enough to her that her scent began to drive him crazy. His mind wandered to the night he had taken her to his bed. The image of her naked form popped into his head, and it took all of his self-control not to grab her and kiss her. Instead, he tucked a loose strand of red hair behind her ear.

"Shall we get going?" he asked.

"I guess," she replied, grabbing her purse from the nightstand. She released Clefairy from its pokeball to give Pikachu some company before heading out the door. With one last glance at her room, Ash closed the door behind them. He caught up with Misty and grabbed her hand, delighted when she didn't recoil away from him. Other than pausing so she could put on her coat, their hands remained attached all the way to the restaurant.

 

Misty shuffled uncomfortably in her seat. She had been expecting a small restaurant, maybe a fancier café. No, instead they sat in the most crowded, most _expensive_ one in town. She picked at filet mignon nervously as he chatted idly about his afternoon. She had to wonder how he managed to get a table when she recalled a three-month waiting list last time she called to make a reservation, and that relationship ended before the day ever came.

"Just explain to me _how_ you managed to get a table here— _in an afternoon_ ," she blurted, interrupting Ash mid-sentence.

"I have my ways," he mused, not wanting to admit that he spent an hour begging the owner on the phone to help him win back the woman whom he now considered his soul mate.

"Fine," she said. "You don't have to tell me about that…but I think that it's time to tell me about this Serena girl. You owe me that."

"Now?" Ash choked out, his water going down the wrong pipe.

"Yes, now."

After his coughing settled, he cleared his throat and said, "Where do I even begin?"

"Anywhere is fine," she replied, not amused by his stalling.

"I've known her longer than you actually," Ash confessed idly, his eyes fixated on the lights above them.

"Huh?"

"Yeah I met her when we were kids at Professor Oak's lab years before I knew you. I hadn't heard from her since then when I randomly crossed paths with her in Kalos. She started traveling with me for a while like we used to…and stuff sort of happened I guess."

"What do you mean?"

He sighed. "Okay well, I guess what I mean is that she asked me out at some point, and being the clueless guy that I am, I didn't know what she meant at first. Of course, she got all huffy with me about it…it was a bit awkward for a while. We stopped talking…and then it dawned on me one afternoon what she wanted. It freaked me out to be honest. I mean why would a girl want me like that?"

Misty could think of a few good reasons, but she kept her mouth shut for the meantime, not wanting to reveal her hand. She had to keep him guessing until she made her final decision: was he worth it or not?

"But then," he continued after taking a few bites of food. "I thought 'hey maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Why not try it?' So, she became my girlfriend for a few months. It was good for a while, and slowly things began to get weird. She seemed frustrated that I wasn't becoming this great Pokémon Master or something…and then one day she just dumped me for that guy you met because she felt like I wasn't good enough anymore."

Misty said nothing. She had nothing to say really. It was hard for her to hear about Ash with another girl. Her mind wandered to the image of them together, and she started to feel uneasy. She continued to pick at the rest of her meal as he continued.

"It wouldn't have been that bad if she hadn't basically told me that I was a failure and would never become a Pokémon Master. Never before had anyone said anything like that to me…but maybe she is right. I've been trying and failing since I was ten. So I thought maybe I should give up. That's why I came home."

"Well that's stupid," Misty said when she finally found her words.

"Huh?"

"You can't let one person's opinion stop you from achieving your dreams! That's not your best decision…I mean I can understand feeling a bit down because she dumped you, but that's no reason to give up on the one thing you love the most. I mean if you had been training, you would have beaten me for sure. What you should have done was worked even harder and won the Kalos league to prove her wrong!"

Ash was taken aback by her statement. He knew that she had always supported his quest to be a Pokémon Master, but he never realized how much she believed in him. She was right though. It had been idiotic of him to give up training because of Serena. He wasn't thinking clearly, but then Misty came and dragged him out of the fog.

"Thanks Misty."

"For what?"

"It's nothing," he said, brushing it off as he placed money with the check that had arrived in the middle of their conversation. "Shall we get going then?"

"Uh sure."

 

They strolled through the streets of Cerulean with no real destination. They wandered around with nothing to do until Misty suggested that they walk north to the cape. As they headed in that direction, the wind started picking up. There was a comfortable silence between them, but Misty still had some questions unanswered.

"So why didn't you tell me about her?" she asked, rubbing her arms.

"Well," Ash responded. "At first, I didn't want to talk about it…too painful, I guess. Part of me felt ashamed though because I hadn't talked to you once while I was dating her. For some reason, I was afraid that you would be mad if you knew that was the reason I had been absent."

"I wouldn't have been."

"I realized that after a while I think."

"Then why didn't you say anything?"

"I did," Ash confessed. "That night you brought me dinner. I told you everything, but when I turned around to face you, you had fallen asleep…and then I thought it might have been a sign that it wasn't the right thing to do."

"Oh."

They had reached the cape at that point. The lighthouse shined above them, cascading its light on the shore below them. It was a cloudless night, and the breeze whipped around them. Misty, whom Ash believed to be gorgeous in the moonlight, shuttered at the wind.

"But why didn't you tell me the whole story when we ran into her?" she asked as she crossed her arms.

"I don't know, okay?" Ash said, putting his hands out in shame. "Seeing her there just threw me off. I wasn't prepared for it…and I had a lot of things on my mind."

"Mmmhmm."

Misty had begun to shiver from the cold. Ash sighed at her stubbornness. He knew that it was the reason why she hadn't said anything about being cold. He removed his scarf and wrapped it around her neck. It was dark green, the yarn fraying. She inspected the knitting job of the scarf and stood frozen because she recognized it. Tears began to form in her eyes.

"You kept this, after all this time?"

"Yeah, of course. Why would I get rid of this?"

It had been a Christmas gift from years ago. Misty had learned how to knit for this gift specifically. Due to her lack of experience, it was a bit poorly made, but Ash didn't care. It was special because his best friend had spent so much time and effort making it for him. He wore it all the time in the cold months, even though he had better scarves as gifts from some of his other friends.

She was touched by his gesture. He cared about her after all. Why else would he keep such a crappy gift? Even if he wanted her as a friend, she still had to make it right with him and give him that much. She owed it to him.

"Ash," Misty began. "I know that I've been mad at you for the past few weeks and that you only slept with me because you were sad about Serena, but I still want us to get past this and be friends again. I've missed having you to talk to."

"You still don't get it, do you?" he said, cupping her face in his hands so he could look into her eyes. "I didn't sleep with you to get over Serena. I did it because I wanted to."

"Huh?"

Ash sighed. "And you call me dense."

"Hey, that was completely uncalled for—" she started to say but was interrupted by his lips crashing against hers like the wave kisses the shoreline.

He wrapped his arms around her as he did the one thing that he had been craving all that night. She responded eagerly, realizing that he hadn't been using her at all. She had been wrong, all along, hadn't she? She had to tell him. How could she have been so stupid?

"Ash, I'm sorry for doubting you. Please don't hate me."

"Mist," he chuckled before kissing her again. "Hate you? How could I possibly do that when I'm hopelessly in love with you?"

"You what?" Surely, she had heard wrong.

"Misty Waterflower," he said slowly so she could catch every word. "I have tried denying it for a while, but I can't hold back anymore. I am, and maybe always have been, unconditionally in love with you. My one hope is that you love me too."

He looked at her earnestly, relief washing over him. Now that he had told her, that burden had flown off of his shoulders. She gaped at him for a brief moment before throwing her arms around him again. She kissed him with everything she had. He lifted her off of her feet as they kissed under the stars. Even after they had broken apart, he hadn't returned her to the ground.

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes, of course I love you, you idiot! Now put me down!"

"Not until you say that you'll be my girlfriend."

"On one condition."

"What's that?"

"You start training to be a Pokémon Master again."

"It's a deal," he said before he sealed it with one last kiss.


	25. Three Months Later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

The sun was high in the sky on an afternoon in early May. It was the first warm day for many months, and a certain three trainers were taking the opportunity to enjoy it. The female member of the group smiled at her two male companions as they sparred in a battle. It was as if it were a decade ago—the three of them traveling around, mainly so their rash and overzealous friend could pursue his dream of becoming a Pokémon Master.

She took a breath, enveloped in the petrichor as she sat on the bench of the collapsible picnic table they had set up. Their lunch was splayed out on the tabletop, waiting for the two young men to return from their match. Misty looked over at Pikachu and Clefairy across the meadow and then back down at the egg she held in her arms and grinned even wider. Nostalgia had almost whisked her away, but she reminded herself as much as some things never change, a lot of things had.

As promised, Ash had started a hardcore regiment of training for endless hours a day. Unable to choose between the gym and traveling with Ash, Misty chose to compromise, spending the occasional few days to a week away from the gym when he was close enough. He frequently flew back home, typically on Charizard, to visit her at the gym. She also helped him by having practice matches when things at the gym were slow.

Once in a while, when he wasn't too busy with his studies, Brock would join them. That afternoon, they had decided to meet up in the middle, around the meadows surrounding Mt. Moon. For the first time, Misty rode Charizard with Ash, and she was still trying to calm her nerves when the two finally walked up from the small valley below.

"So who won?" she asked.

"Me of course," Ash said, beaming.

"Did he really Brock?"

"I hate to admit it, but Misty, he's telling you the truth. He's gotten quite good to be honest."

Ash smirked as he sat down next to her, his mouth curled into a crooked smirk. He grabbed a sandwich from the pile and took a bite. "Swfee? I twold fyou."

"That is so attractive."

"You love me."

"Shut up."

Brock rolled his eyes at the two. It was true that ever since they _finally_ became a couple, that the fights were fewer and less intense. For the most part, there was that playful teasing that he remembered from his youth when both of them mellowed a bit. Ash responded to her grumbling with an arm around her shoulders and pressing his lips against her cheek. With the gesture, her mood improved drastically.

"Are we babysitting again?" Brock asked, pointing at the egg.

"Yeah," Misty said. "I can't say no to those two over there."

Pikachu and Clefairy were in the meadow, surrounded by wildflowers. The three watched as Pikachu plucked a daisy and tucked it next to Clefairy's ear. She nuzzled Pikachu in delight. Misty had to admit that the two were pretty adorable together. She chucked to herself thinking about the night of hers and Ash's first date and their surprise when they walked into on them as Ash practically broke down her door, carrying Misty in his arms. Brock must have been having similar thoughts.

"So are the trainers going to follow in their Pokémon's footsteps?" Brock said, raising an eyebrow.

"Eh?" The two said in unison, their faces turning beet red.

Brock laughed. "I was only joking you two!"

Misty stood up, waving her hands in air. "That's not funny, you know! We're still young and we've only been together for a few months. It's much too early to be thinking of that!"

"Okay. Okay. I'm sorry!"

Ash remained silent. The thought had crossed his mind once or twice, especially when he peered over at Misty holding that egg in her arms. He suddenly had the image of her holding their small child, with its black hair and aqua eyes. Even though they had been together for a short amount of time, he found himself craving it. He wanted to settle down with her and have a family, even more than being a Pokémon Master, but he dared not admit that to her—not just yet. He could tell that she wasn't ready. He could wait until then. Besides, there were plenty of other moments to be enjoyed with her to before that would happen. He knew that this was the woman he was going to marry, but there were other matters to attend to first.

"Earth to Ash," Misty chimed.

"Huh?"

"What were you thinking about?"

"Oh nothing."

"Oh come on," she pleaded, staring deep in her eyes. Damn. They were hard to resist.

"You don't need to know."

"You better tell me, Mr. Pokémon Master!"

"Well the day that that actually happens, you'll be asked to be Mrs. Pokémon Master," Ash replied cheekily.

Misty had no response. Instead she opened her mouth and closed it several times, appearing extremely similar to her Goldeen. Ash chuckled, amazed at finally saying something that got her to shut up for once. Brock had to keep in his laughter as well. Grinning, Ash plucked the egg out of her hands and gave it over to Brock. He proceeded to grab Misty's arm and dragged her away from the table.

"Brock you can be the babysitter for a while. It'll be practice for the future," Ash said with a wink.

"Where are we going?"

"I want to go see if I can catch another Pokémon. I need your help."

"But Ash!"

"Some things never change," Brock shrugged as he watched the two run down into the tall grass at the bottom of the hill.

He was right; however a lot of things would be changing. Brock watched the two lovebirds, knowing that things between them would never be the same again. They would love and fight for each other. Brock wasn't worried at all, not like he used to be about them. He knew that nothing could stop them as he watched the two rush toward their tomorrow, hand-in-hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading through the entire story! I really appreciate it. Be sure to check out the sequel to this fic, The Blossoms of Love.


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